The Panzer Diaries: Germany
by Deathvoltz
Summary: The year is 1943. In the midst of World War II, A female tank captain returns to the front to join her comrades, only to be met with an oncoming offensive against the Soviet Union. She has promises to return to her younger sister after the war, but will she be able to keep that promise? This is the first installation of hopefully several more Panzer Diaries, stay tuned for updates!
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**Chapter 1: Prologue.**

The Tiger tank stood motionless with its' tracks thrown, in the middle of a field, full of burning T-34 wrecks. The other Tiger tanks were pulling out, their engines roaring; exhaust gases rising high above the tanks. At the lower left side of the hull, there was a small puncture hole, where the metal armour plating was curved inwards. There was a T-34 tank positioned straight in front of the side armour; its cannon barrel smoking. It slowly reversed, and drove into the smoke filled landscape.

Inside the tank, it was a mess of humans, blood and shrapnel. Maho was slumped over the cannon breech, her head and side bleeding heavily. Her black sidecap was hanging askew, and it slid over one of her eyes.

"Is everyone alright?" She asked weakly, praying for a response from her shattered crew members.

"Aye, ma'am." Came Erika's weak reply. She was laying on the floor of the tank, just underneath the cannon breech, her arm weakly resting on her gunners' chair; blood dribbling down from her neck. Some tank shells were scattered along the floor.

"Christian… Tell the rest of our company that we've been hit."

No reply.

She looked down, and saw the decapitated body of Christian, his black uniform slashed open, with blood dripping down onto the floor steadily.

She looked round weakly, desperate to see any sign of life from her crew. Suddenly, she heard a quiet moaning sound from Ernst, who was slumped forward at the front of the tank. He coughed, and blood came spilling out of his mouth, as he slowly became still. He was missing an arm, and the arm was on the floor, with a pool of blood around it.

Maho herself was bleeding out, her hearing distorted, as the explosions outside and the sound of war travelled very slowly through her ear; making each explosion take an eternity to pass. She glanced at her hands weakly. They were pale, shaky and bleeding. She suddenly noticed Felix, who was sitting straight in the loaders' seat, with blood down his side. He had a shrapnel piece the size of his thumb embedded in his neck, with blood slowly dribbling away from the wound.

She frantically tried to reach for the radio, but her strength slowly ebbed away. Her arm fell limp, and she coughed up blood. Maho let out a quiet sigh. It seemed like the Tiger wasn't as 'indestructible' as she thought it may be.

It seemed like she would die in this metal coffin. She took a short raspy breath, as darkness flooded her vision…

* * *

Notes:

Whenever there is a word (apart from the chapter title), it is a technical term that will be defined in a glossary chapter later on.

 **If you've enjoyed reading this chapter, and want to know what happens next, don't hesistate to follow and favourite! It helps me know that what I'm writing is enjoyable too!**


	2. Chapter 2: Back to the front

**Chapter 2: Back to the Front.**

22nd June 1943.

Maho suddenly awoke from her slumber, panting heavily and sweating. She froze; momentarily unaware whether she was alive or dead, until she felt the warmth of her blanket. She gave a massive sigh of relief.

 _'Only dreams… thank God. I thought I wasn't dreaming…'_

She suddenly sat up, trying to calm herself down.

She shrugged, standing up but wincing slightly. She slowly pulled up her shirt. There were still bandages from her previous injury… But that didn't matter now. She'd been recalled to the eastern front. The telegram stating that rested on the desk. Maho was one of the few lucky ones, whose injuries were bad enough that she had to be treated in Germany, therefore getting a few days leave as she recovered from the operation. She was relatively tall for her age, and had short, brown hair that went down to her neck.

"Maho! We're going to be late! Let's go!"

A small voice emanated from downstairs. It was her younger sister, Miho. She had similar traits to Maho; both had brown eyes, and neck long hair. However, Miho had light brown hair, whilst Maho had hair that was a darker shade of brown. Maho smiled; she loved hearing her little sisters' voice. Although she was 15, Maho always remembered when she was still a little girl.

"I'm coming!" She shouted down, before quickly getting dressed into her panzerwaffe uniform.

Running downstairs, she'd smile slightly at Miho and take her by the hand. "You ready to meet mother at the railway station?" She asked.

Miho nodded enthusiastically.

The railway station in Munich was crowded with civilians and soldiers alike, with infantry troop trains and replacement troop trains lining the railway tracks. Maho was walking slowly, in her field grey tunic shirt and black tie. On top of that she wore her black double-breasted hip length jacket (or **Panzerjacke** ), with the **totenkophf** on the collars. She was also wearing the black trousers, black service boots and black officers' sidecap, which was slanted a little to the right.

"Maho!" Miho tugged at her older sister's sleeves, trying to get her attention.

 _'She maybe seventeen, but she still has childish instincts sometimes…'_

"Yes?"

Maho, a little impatient at the time, looked down at her little sister with a cold, stern face.

"Do you have to go back Maho?" Miho asked her quietly.

Maho sighed, taking her sister by the hand.

"I'm afraid I have to go back Miho…" She whispered, her face falling a little bit.

They walked towards the troop train, when they both saw a familiar figure. Their mother was waiting for them both. She was very similar to Maho in appearance, just a little taller and had longer brown hair, extending down to her shoulders. Seeing them both, she walked calmly to Maho, and hugged her tightly.

"Stay safe for me Maho…promise you come back?"

Maho hugged her mother tightly. She could feel her mother's tears drip onto her jacket. Her mother let go, then before she could do anything, Miho hugged her tightly as well.

"Please don't go!" She begged. "I don't want you to die! Please! Come back for me!" She sobbed into her arm.

Maho sighed, and looked down to Miho's eye level, wiping the tears away gently with her thumb.

"Miho. I promise I'll come back for you. Stay strong whilst I'm away, okay?"

Miho nodded slowly, sniffing a little. "I promise I'll join up when I'm older to be with you, I promise."

Maho smiled, holding back her own tears, she kissed her gently on her forehead, and let go of her hand, and walked towards the **Sonderzüge.** It had 6 large carriages, and on each of them, perched a Tiger Tank. There were also many smaller carriages for soldiers to be transported in. She stopped in front of an officer, who was ticking the names off his list.

"Name?" He asked, looking at Maho sternly.

"Maho Ketler." She replied smoothly.

"Rank?"

" ** _Leutnant._** _"_

"Leutnant Ketler…Ketler…" The officer mumbled, searching through the seemingly endless amount of names printed onto the paper.

"Ah. Leutnant Maho Ketler. You're on carriage No.23. With the other people from the 505th." The officer smirked, gesturing to the open carriage behind him.

She forced a smile, as she climbed up into the carriage. Once inside, there were several men on board, all donned with the same uniform Maho wore. One of the men, who had short, blond hair, and navy blue eyes, stared at Maho, his face smirking.

"Look here lads… We've got ourselves a gal. What's your name sunshine? Never heard of a female tank commander before… have we lads?" He smirked, and the other men smirked as well. He then caught attention of her shoulder strap, which displayed her rank. His face fell.

"I'm so sorry… Leutnant. I didn't know you were an officer." He muttered, his gaze falling on the floor in front on him.

She looked at him coldly.

"Next time, don't just flirt with any women you see in a panzer uniform. And, since I'm a female officer, you address me as ma'am. Clear?" She explained emotionlessly.

"Yes ma'am." They all mumbled.

She adjusted her sidecap, and sat in the corner of the carriage. A few minutes later, a few more girls stepped into the carriage, smiling and saluting her as they went to sit down. Maho smiled, and returned the salute.

An hour later, when all the soldiers were on board, the doors were locked and bolted shut, door by door. They all lurched a little when the train started moving. Maho looked out of the window, and saw Miho looking at her. She was crying, waving goodbye to her. Maho blinked, hiding her own tears, as she waved goodbye to her little sister, smiling.

 _'I'll come back Miho. I promise you.'_

* * *

As the train picked up speed, the platform quickly disappeared from view. Maho sat down with the other female panzer officers. They were all newly promoted, all five of them bearing the rank of **Oberfeldwebel.** She talked to them for some time, and got to know them. She knew this as she could see the insignia displayed on their shoulder straps. They were all from Berlin, and had just graduated from the officer training academy in **Panzertruppenschule II** ; an academy that trains German armour officers to operate Panzers. They were all happy and optimistic; and the way they spoke and acted showed this.

"Hey! Don't steal my cap!" One of the girls giggled, as the other pinched her sidecap away from her head and waved it around playfully. Maho looked on, and forced a smile. They were so young, so…innocent.

 _"Most haven't even seen the horrors of war yet. They haven't stumbled across a dead body, or a burned out skeleton of your friend lying next to a burnt out tank. They haven't seen, or smelt death before. Something like that will change you forever; and some of the changes can never be reversed. When they come back, they'll never be the same ag-"_

"Leutnant?"

A small voice stopped her trail of thought. For now. One of the young female officers was sitting opposite her, away from the other group of girls, who were messing around with each other's side caps. She had blonde hair that extended down to her shoulders, and bright, blue eyes. She was different to the other girls, however. She wasn't eager or excited. She looked worried, her eyes reflected fear within her. She was one who had seen the hardship of war. Something Maho herself could relate to. She looked to the girl who just addressed her.

"Yes?" She asked; her voice gentle and soothing.

The girl shivered a little, staring into the floor. "I-I'm scared Leutnant…" She whispered her voice barely audible to her."…I don't know w-whether I will come b-back."

Maho sighed, her gaze sliding to the floor. She couldn't do much to comfort her, as she knew, as most of the soldiers returning to the Eastern front did, many will not return.

"Hey…Look." She stretched out her hand and lifted the girls' chin up, so she was looking at her.

"I know… it may be hard for you to think about that right now. But, just keep your head down, and remember all the tips you've learnt, alright?" She smiled at the girl softly, holding her tears back. She pitied her.

' _So young and they have to join and fight this pointless war… At this rate, she won't last a month. She must've had a future ahead of her; but that's now gone because she's joined the Panzerwaffe…or was persuaded by propaganda of a smooth and decisive German victory…'_

The girl smiled, a single tear sliding down her pale face. "Thank you… ma'am." She whispered, blinking and looking down onto the wooden flooring of the carriage. She looked up at Maho, and saluted.

Maho blinked; slightly surprised she would do that, returned the salute slightly slower. Her mind was preoccupied; thinking about her own life. Will she return after the war? Will she be able to make it through the war? She shuffled to a corner, and rested her back and the back of her head against the dark, rough wooden structure of the carriage.

' _Just relax Maho… You'll be fine. You will see Miho again._ '

* * *

As they travelled throughout the night, the girls and boys rested, sleeping against the wooden side of the carriage. Maho however, was restless. However many times she tried to sleep; haunting images of her at the front came back to plague her. Images of dead men, torn apart by the vicious weapons made by mankind. Corpses with their heads ripped off. Men missing their lower torso. Empty, blank eyes staring into space. Charred remains of men burnt to nothing but black bones and unburned fat. Her nose filled with the familiar, yet repulsive scent of death; half decayed bodies left on the ground to rot away.

 _'You know you're going to die Maho… You can feel it yourself. Somehow, you think that you won't return to Miho, or your family. Why? Because you know you won't survive this… your luck is going run out sooner or later…'_

"Shut up. Shut UP!" Maho whispered to herself, shaking her head violently, holding back her tears as her body shook slightly. However, she knew her thoughts were partially, if not mostly, true. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, and huddled up, hugging herself to stay warm. She looked round the carriage slowly. Everyone else was asleep… apart from the girl she comforted earlier. She was still awake. She was pale, and shaky. Maho looked up at the girl, and gave her a comforting nod. She then shuffled over, looking at her. "What's your name comrade?" She asked quietly. The carriage rattled and rocked slightly as it went over a small bump on the train tracks.

"Karla Brun… ma'am." She whispered. "O-Oberfeldwebel Karla Brun…"

Maho smiled lightly. She was surprised to find another female Tank commander. Although many females often joined the war effort; she didn't know many females who were willing to fight on the front, least of all be in command of a tank. "Unterfeldwebel? So you're a Tank commander, hm? Have you been to the front before?"

Karla smiled, nodding slowly. "Yes ma'am, I have. I've just been back from the few days of leave I could get. I had a few more days left, but I've been recalled to the front. Apparently, there is a new offensive being planned…" Suddenly, her face fell, and she looked directly at Maho. "Leutnant? Can I ask you something?" She shuffled forwards a little. "But promise me you answer truthfully." She whispered quietly. Maho didn't notice until now, but Karla had a very beautiful, quiet, yet clear voice.

She rubbed her eyes, before tucking a small loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Okay." She nodded. "What do you want to ask…? Oberfeldwebel Brun?"

Karla's eyes slowly slid to look at the floor. "Will I… die?" She whispered her voice so quiet that it was barely audible.

Maho looked down slightly, choosing the right words to answer her question. She then slowly looked up to Karla. "Honestly, I don't know." She whispered quietly. "It's something that no one will know… Let me tell you this though." She blinked; brushing some hair from her fringe. "People die all the time. Whether of old age or being killed in battle… But people will die in due time. It's just how they die and when they die. But think about this." She shuffled closer and smiled slightly. "You won't die… I can tell the ones that can make it through all this."

Karla's eyes lit up slightly. "How can you tell?"

Maho smiled, blinking several times. "I'm not sure, honestly. But mark my words; they more or less turn out to be true. So you're the lucky one." She gave her a smile, and then shuffled closer. "Tell me Karla, where are you from?" She asked; trying to get to know the young girl.

"Me? I'm from Berlin… My family have lived there for years." She replied. "You?"

"I'm from Frankfurt…" Maho whispered, smiling gently. "So, why did you join the Panzerwaffe? Conscription? Or did you feel like joining?"

Karla shook her head. "I joined, because I wanted to become a tank crewwoman. I joined with my…other half. I thought it would be all fun and games, and that we'd have an easy time. She thought that too. We thought that the war would be over shortly. Until… All this bullshit happened." She shook her head again. "I've seen… too much. I can never forget those things I've seen." She began to tear up again. "I-I…I…" She violently shook her head, before sobbing quietly.

Maho shuffled closer; putting an arm round her shoulder. She hadn't known Karla for more than a few hours, but she felt that she was like a little sister for her. "Hey. It's okay." She whispered, trying her best to comfort her. "Tell me what happened… It's best for you to let it all out."

Karla nodded, and shuffled closer so that they were only a few inches apart.

* * *

Notes:

 **UPDATE: Chapter 3 is now written.**

Any reviews will be great. But I want CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISISMS only. Thank you.

 **If you've enjoyed reading this chapter, and want to know what happens next, don't hesistate to follow and favourite! It helps me know that what I'm writing is enjoyable too!**


	3. Chapter 3: A familar friend

**Chapter 3: A familiar Friend**

2nd July 1943

The 10 days they travelled were long, and seemed to take forever. They stopped occasionally; usually during the night to stock up on more supplies at the rail depots they'd constructed over the two years they had occupied the Soviet Union. During their long journey, Maho had gotten to know the other female officers, but she kept her distance to the men in the carriage; she didn't like them, and she knew for a fact; they didn't like her either.

'How much longer..? We've been travelling for more than 10 days now, and we've still haven't arrived to our destination. Where are we-'

She jumped as the train brakes screeched, and the train slowly shuddered to a halt. There were voices speaking in German, and the carriage door was unlocked, then opened. A soldier appeared on the platform. Maho took the chance to take in her surroundings. The hustle and bustle of city life in Frankfurt was long gone. Instead, the sun was gently shining in, and apart from the bustling of troops walking around, the shouting of orders, the noisy rumble of truck engines; Maho took her time taking it all in. She smelt the fresh air of the Russian countryside; the grass growing, trees, birds tweeting in the distance. No sound of gunfire, artillery shells shrieking overhead, no screams of pain. Everything was so… peaceful. For a moment, she forgot that she was in a war…

"Alright, Lets' get you guys out." The soldier spoke, looking at Maho.

She nodded, and looked at the men and women in the carriage.

"You heard him, let's go."

As by her orders, the men and women walked past her and jumped off from the edge onto the platform. She found herself inadvertently looking at Karla. She seemed relaxed, her blonde hair moving gently in the slight breeze. She jumped, before looking back at Maho, and smiled; before jumping down to join her other female comrades. Maho smiled, and jumped off the edge of the carriage and onto the platform. She saw them disappear behind the administration building; before hearing Karla's voice. "Oh! Sorry **Hauptmann**!"

"It's fine, **Oberfeld**..?" The voice paused, unsure on how to address Karla.

Maho's eyes widened. The woman's voice… was very familiar. But she couldn't work out who it was. It was extremely familiar; she must've heard it before…

"Oberfeldwebel Brun, 505th Heavy Tank Battalion, B Company." Karla responded quietly, but with confidence.

"Oh… B Company? You're with me then!" The woman exclaimed. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Hauptmann Erwin Brandt. I'm your company commander. You'll be fighting along with me."

Maho gasped, breaking into a genuine smile. It was her old friend, and her commander; Hauptmann Erwin Brandt. They've grown up together, and went to the same schools, until she left to study at Dresden. When the war broke out, she returned to Frankfurt with enlisted with Maho. Both of them enlisted with the panzerwaffe, to become tank commanders. After their training had finished, they served alongside one another; first starting out commanding Panzer IIIs. They rose up the ranks; but Erwin had risen to the rank of Hauptmann, whilst she had only risen to the rank of Leutnant. They've been fighting together since the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. However, as the battle of Stalingrad drew to a close, both were recalled to Germany to undergo retraining for the new Tiger I tanks. From then, she and Erwin had been operating a Tiger company in the 505th Heavy Tank Battalion, until Maho was injured by shrapnel from an exploding artillery shell when she was taking a break outside during the lull of some fighting about a month ago from now. Maho paused, remembering all the memories she'd had with her. With that, she adjusting her sidecap, before walking towards and behind the administration building, making sure she was behind Erwin.

 _'It's been only a month or two since I've last seen her… But it seems as if we haven't seen each other for years.'_

"Hauptmann… you're sidecap is slightly askew. I'd adjust it if I were you." She spoke softly, smirking at her own witty remark.

Erwin blinked and smiled at her voice, adjusting her sidecap accordingly. "Karla… do you mind if I can have a moment in private?" She asked kindly.

"Of course ma'am." Karla replied, leading the rest of the crew members away from the administration building. Erwin checked they were out of sight, before turning round to face Maho; her eyes glowing with ecstasy. Before she knew it, Maho was being pulled into a tight hug. She gasped as she was pulled forward; her sidecap slipping and falling off her head.

"Maho! It's been too long!" Erwin cried out, wrapping her arms round Maho's back tightly. "But, I think formal greetings are still an order." She muttered, smirking as she released her.

"Of course… Hauptmann." Maho grinned, picking up her sidecap and brushing the dust off it; before putting it onto her head again. "Glad to be serving with you again… Hauptmann Brandt." She laughed cheerfully , her face breaking into a smile as she saluted her.

"And it's good to see you have recovered from your injuries, Leutnant Ketler." Erwin replied, smiling as she returned the salute. "Honestly, I've been so bored without you in the Company, y'know? I'm always surrounded by these guys who just can't stop gawping at me." She chuckled. "Worst of all, I can't get them to stop!"

"Erwin. You need to shout at them. Show that you're the boss." Maho sighed, shaking her head slightly as she smirked. "After all this time, you still aren't able to tell a man to stop looking at you?!" She laughed.

Erwin grinned, pretending to cross her arms in a huff. "I'd like to see you try…" She mumbled. "Anyway, there are more important things I need to tell you." She stated, gesturing Maho to follow her to walk with her. "About the upcoming offensive."

"Oh? A new offensive has been planned? That is surprising." Maho mused. "So, what is the offensive about?"

" I'll explain it all when I have my maps. They're all in my Tiger, you see."

"Ah. I see then." Maho walked swiftly alongside her, her boots flattening the green blades in the moist earth. They rounded the corner of the administration building; where they saw the other Tiger Tanks being unloaded from the train.

"We're expecting some new Tiger Tanks, so we can have a full Company." Erwin explained, before Maho could query the reason for the Tigers being delivered. "Our Tigers are nearby in a field just a few minutes away from here… Oh, since we're well into our own territory, we can still afford to do that." She explained reassuringly, seeing Maho's rather worried glance at her, then up at the air.

"Last time we did that… it didn't end well." Maho whispered, still giving several quick glances up in the air, not totally reassured by Erwin's words. "We lost some men and tanks then…" Maho paused, standing still as the smell of oil, steel and blood filled her, burning wrecks of tanks and blood as she dragged wounded men to safety, their screams of pain puncturing her ears. This was Stalingrad at its height, 1941. Her Company had stopped in a field to take a quick break whilst there was a lull in the fighting. Then, it happened. The sound of cannon fire and the whir propellers broke through her ears. She looked down at her hands. She saw the blood stains of her wounded comrades. It was almost surreal. Everything was replaying in slow motion. In the distance, she saw Erwin, struggling to get out of her burning tank; jumping out and running a few feet from it before it exploded in flames, metal shards flying everywhere. She was so close, so close to dea-

"Maho?"

Erwin's gentle voice filled her head. She blinked, and all she could see was Erwin standing in front of her. Because she was slightly shorter than her, Maho looked up at her. "Hm?"

"Are you okay?" Erwin asked her, slight concern could be seen in her eyes. "You were just standing there… staring into space. She walked over and put a gentle hand on Maho's shoulder. "Was it something you remembered?"

Maho shook her head slowly. "No… None of that sort." She replied calmly, although her heart was still racing inside her body. "I was just thinking… about how much Miho will miss me." She lied quickly. She didn't want Erwin to be worried about her. "I mean, she always gets scared I won't come back one day. I promised her I will." Maho forced a smile. "So I'm going to fulfil that promise."

"Aww. That's adorable." Erwin smiled, and walked several steps, waiting for Maho to catch up. "Since we're on the subject of your sister, how is she?"

The latter raised a brow at Erwin. "She's okay. Although she's only 15, she wants to join the panzerwaffe… So she could be with me. But otherwise, she seemed to be in good health before I left." Maho replied slowly. "But honestly, why she wants to join up, I have no idea. I don't think she understands the risks that we have to face."

Erwin nodded in agreement. "If she does join up, her life won't be the same once we're out of this hellhole of a war. She won't see the world as the same. She may see some traumatic things that will be etched in her mind forever…"

They walked for several minutes, crossing a road and into a grassy field, the long blades of grass stroking against their hips as they walked through it. The sky was mostly clear, with only a few scattered clouds breaching the endless blue sea. The sun was shining in; the gentle rustle of the wind and birds tweeting overhead as they flew over the vast Russian steppe.

 _'Remember you're not in Paradise Maho… You're far from it. This is the Soviet Union. You are here to fight the Soviets. Not to relax.'_

"Oh. It seems like we've arrived." Erwin's voice cut through Maho's trail of thought. A few meters ahead of them, partially obscured by the long blades of grass, 8 tanks were lined up in a straight line. Erwin's gaze fell on the people around it. Some were standing around on soil, smoking cigarettes and chatting, some were playing cards. Others were standing on the tank, doing various maintenance works on them. 3 people were standing guard, their **MP40** s gleaming in the sunlight. They weren't soldiers though; they all wore the standard field grey tunics, black ties and black trousers. Most had their leather jackets on, but some had taken them off and draped them on the gun barrel of their tanks, using them as makeshift hangers. All of them however were wearing their black sidecap. One woman caught sight of Erwin and Maho, and soon enough, all of them were adjusting their uniforms, buttoning their leather jackets and straightening their ties. They soon formed up in a single horizontal line. The woman stood out in front of them, facing the two officers directly.

* * *

"Company! Atten-Tion!" She shouted, saluting both of Erwin and Maho. Her voice caused Maho to break into yet another smile. The woman standing in front of her was of rather tall stature, with light khaki hair that extended down to her shoulders, her pale blue eyes looking straight at the latter. Her black jacket was neatly done up, and her sidecap was perfectly straight. She held her hand out to greet Maho. "Welcome back Leutnant."

"At ease." Maho replied slowly, extending her own hand to warmly shake the woman's. "It's nice to see you, **Feldwebel** Austerman. Or… should I call you Erika?" She smiled happily. Feldwebel Erika Austerman. Maho's gunner and second in command of her Tiger. Erika was well known within the Company, and all the other panzer divisions she'd fought with, proving the to be the best shot within the each and every one of the divisions. Maho had met her several times before, and had served together in the Panzer divisions when they were fighting in Stalingrad. So it was a pleasant surprise for her when she found out Erika had been transferred to the 505th Heavy Tank Battalion.

Erwin then looked over at Maho, and smirked. "Erika, you can go. I want a word with you men." She muttered. Once Erika had gone from the line, she crossed her arms and frowned. "Some of you seem to think I'm really good to look at, and I appreciate it. But," She took a step closer. "I think it's going too far now. You men may not have seen your sweethearts for some time, I know, but stop gawping at me every time I walk past, clear?" She couldn't contain her amusement anymore, and her face broke into a small smile, before quickly straightening her face and clearing her throat. "Otherwise, I'll ma-"

"Make sure your eyes have been washed with soap or gouged out. That'll teach you men a lesson in not to look at these officers like that. They maybe women officers; they're no different to a male officer like me. You treat them with the same respect as you treat male officers. Got it?" A man's voice spoke from behind the two officers. It had a deep, but flowing tone to it.

"Aye sir." The men replied slowly, some looking away in shame.

"Company dismissed."

The men trudged back slowly to their tanks, resuming their previous activities. Erwin turned round and stood to attention, nudging Maho with her elbow. Maho immediately turned round and stood to attention, saluting the man. He was a thin man, but relatively well built for someone his size. He was about an inch taller than Erwin, with dark blonde hair combed to the right side of his head, and shockingly blue eyes. He had an officer's field cap on his head, but apart from that he wore the same uniform Maho and Erwin wore, but his shoulder strap was much more elaborately decorated, signifying his high rank.

* * *

" **Major** Gegenheimer… What a pleasant surprise." Erwin spoke, saluting quickly before quickly standing back at attention.

"As you were." The major nodded, and both women relaxed slightly. "I thought I would help finish off your little… threat to them." He smiled and nodded at Maho. "Is she your second in command?"

"Yes sir. I'm Leutnant Maho Ketler, B Company, second in command. Hauptmann Brandt is my superior and commander." Maho responded promptly, saluting him before extending her hand, which the major warmly held and shook.

"I'm Major Manfred Gegenheimer. I'm in command of the 505th Heavy Tank Battalion, but I also lead A Company. Nice to meet you Leutnant Ketler. I believe your injuries are mostly, if not all better?" Seeing her surprised look, Manfred gestured to Erwin. "Hauptmann Brandt here has told me all about you. You seem to be a rather quiet, but a likeable individual. Like me." He added quickly with a small smile, seeing Maho blush slightly.

"With due all respect Major…" Maho began, thinking over her choice of words carefully. "Where is **Oberstleutnant** Raiter?" She asked slowly.

Erwin looked at Manfred. "Can I have a word in private with her, Major?" She asked quietly. He nodded, and walked a good few meters away, pulling out a map from his pocket which he inspected. Erwin then took Maho by her hand, and walked a few meters away.

When they came back, Manfred could see that Maho was visibly upset.

"When did this happen?" She asked quietly.

"Only a week after you were flown back to Germany for treatment, he was killed in action when we came under air attack. His tank was hit by a bomb." Erwin responded quietly, putting an arm gently around Maho's shoulders.

Maho calmed down a little, taking deep breaths to slow down her racing heart. "Oh… It's just…" She began. "It's just we were good friends." She whispered.

"I know." Erwin replied slowly. "We may have lost a good man, but in terms of leadership, we haven't lost a thing. Major Gegenheimer is very experienced. He's been awarded the **Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross**."

"I surely hope so." Maho muttered, looking at the Major. "But since he's got the Knight's Cross, I'm _sure_ he'll be a great leader." She smirked faintly, trying to cheer herself up.

Manfred sighed, changing the topic quickly. "Shall we go over the plan here, or should we go back to the temporary HQ to discuss it?"

"I don't mind." Erwin and Maho replied at almost exactly the same time, casting amused glances at each other immediately afterwards.

The major nodded and gestured for them to walk with him. Maho walked swiftly after Erwin and Manfred, who were a few meters in front of her.

"Is she always like this?" Manfred whispered to Erwin.

She frowned slightly, and slowed down a few paces. "Yes. She's always like that. She likes to see if the Battalion CO is competent enough. Otherwise, she may just… teach them a lesson." She said, just loud enough for Maho to hear, a wide smirk fixed on her face.

Maho smiled, laughing quietly to herself as she walked faster to join them.

They walked back to the administration building. The rumbling of engines was prominent, as the newly arrived Tigers drove past them. Maho turned to the source of the noise, six Tigers driving down the road in a single column, moving towards the field where B Company was. The lead tank had the commander's hatch opened. Karla was looking outside, her head clearly seen but her shoulders obscured by the hatch. She looked over and smiled at Maho, before turning back to face the direction she were going.

"In here please." Manfred spoke, his hand gesturing to the administration building door, where two soldiers; each at one side of the door, were standing guard. Seeing three high ranking officers approach them, they instantly snapped to attention as they walked in.

Once inside, they turned to the first door on the left. "After you." Manfred smiled, gesturing the two females to walk in.

Once inside, Maho looked round intently. There was a large desk, with maps and charts littered on its surface. Three chairs were positioned around it; two were next to each other and the last chair was on the opposite side of the desk. There was a bookshelf with a few books, and instruction manuals. Other than that, it was a rather empty office.

Manfred sat down on the chair and pulled out one of the larger maps that were crushed under pile of some more maps and books. "Sit down if you want." He spoke, gesturing the two chairs opposite him, in which both Maho and Erwin quickly sat down at. He then pointed at a city labelled 'Kursk'. "That's where the offensive objective it. To take the city of Kursk. We are part of the northern salient." He pointed at a group of numbers and symbols positioned North West of the city. "The 505th is to be attacking with the 1st wave, with the 20th Panzer Division. We are to try and establish a breakthrough, and prevent any counterattacks as the infantry divisions will push forward. Do you understand so far?" He asked. Seeing Maho's nod he continued. "From where we are, we are to drive east, in a pincer movement with the other forces at the southern salient. They will drive North West, to complete the pincer movement, and to trap the soviets forces within the encirclement. The offensive will start on the 5th July, at 0530 hours. We will move out tonight at 1700 hours to get to the front line, ready for the offensive. We will be travelling through the night. Any questions?"

"Aye sir." Maho replied. "I have one question. " Manfred nodded and she continued to speak. "Seeing that we're attacking in an easterly direction, the terrain is rather flat. No hills, no cover. Unless you count small villages as cover. So, the question is, Major, will we have air cover as we advance?"

Manfred smiled. "I'm glad to asked that Leutnant. We should have air cover, once the **Luftwaffe** has established air superiority."

"I sure hope so." Maho muttered, knowing that they would most almost be spotted by any reconnaissance aircraft. "Well, I guess Hauptmann Brandt and I should get our equipment ready. What is the time Hauptmann?" She asked.

Erwin looked down at her watch. "Just gone past 1500 hours. We should get our tanks ready."

Maho nodded and saluted Manfred. "Thank you for letting me know sir."

Manfred nodded. "No problems. Oh, Leutnant… I've been told you might need these?" He opened a drawer and took out a polished **Luger P08** and a pair of binoculars. "Hauptmann Brandt took these off you after you were injured." He walked round and passed them to her.

Maho smiled and examined her luger. "I've missed you, you know?" She whispered to it, as Erwin smirked.

"Let's go Leutnant." She calmly spoke, leading Maho out of the office and then back to the rail station. "Let's go get our Tigers prepared. We still need to load some ammunition into them. The supply convoy should have arrived by now."

Maho nodded and they both walked off into the distant field towards their Tigers once more. She smiled faintly. 'At least Erwin is still with me. I'm glad she's still around to help me. She's a strong woman, and an incredibly intelligent one too. I'm glad she is my Company Commander.' She thought to herself. 'I don't know what I would do without her…'

* * *

Notes:

 **UPDATE: Chapter 4 is now written.**

Any reviews with constructive critisisms will be helpful. Thanks.

 **If you've enjoyed reading this chapter, and want to know what happens next, don't hesistate to follow and favourite! It helps me know that what I'm writing is enjoyable too!**


	4. Chapter 4: The journey to Kursk begins

**Chapter 4: The journey to Kursk begins.**

2nd July, 1943. 1510 hours.

Erwin and Maho soon reached the field where their tanks were. Instead of 8 Tigers, there were now 14: A full company. Several trucks were parked next to the farthest Tiger, where the crew were loading the shells into their ammo racks.

"Looks like the supply convoy has indeed arrived." Maho spoke. "But it's going to take time to load all of the Tigers." She looked at her Tiger, which was 12th in the line. From where she was, she could make out Erika, who was kneeling down near the back of the tank, obviously fixing something.

"Well. At least you will have your shells. Mine is the last one. I'd be lucky to have any shells left! Oh, I forgot. I already loaded up my shells. I'm so stupid." Erwin joked, as Maho chuckled lightly at her humour. "Ah, and I see that Oberfeld Brun and the rest of our Company has arrived."

Maho smirked, and turned to look at her superior, giving Erwin a "you-cannot-be-serious" look. "Well done. You've only just noticed." She shook her head, chuckling.

Erwin grinned, playfully pushing Maho away with her hand. "Whatever." She turned to look at her Tiger. "I guess we'll talk later. Tell your crew that once everything's done, I want them to be round my Tiger. We need to let them know what the plan is. Got it?"

Maho nodded, saluting with a smirk. "Aye ma'am!" She grinned and began walking to her Tiger. Erwin smiled back, and walked towards hers.

Maho slowly strode towards her Tiger. As she got closer, she realised only Erika was outside. The rest of her crew were in the tank. She walked up to the rear of the tank, where Erika was. "Erika, where is the rest of my crew?" She asked casually. Her Tiger had remained the same, apart from one little feature: It now had an **MG 34** fixed on a rotatable tripod which was welded onto the turret, allowing easier self-defence if enemies got too close.

Erika looked over her shoulder and smiled, jumping down from the engine block to stand at attention. "Inside the tank, ma'am." She replied. "Permission to 'do my thing', ma'am?" Erika grinned.

"Permission granted. And, we've known each other long enough Erika. You don't need to call me ma'am. Just call me Leutnant." Maho told her.

Erika nodded and smiled, climbing back onto the engine and getting a spanner from the toolbox that was sitting there, before climbing and kneeling down on the turret. "Oi lads! Our commander is here! Get your asses back up here to greet her now! Otherwise I'll throw this spanner down at you!" She laughed quietly to herself.

Maho shook her head and smirked as two men instantly climbed out, jumping down onto the grass below them. A few seconds later everyone heard a clang of metal hitting metal; before another male climbed out. Instead of a sidecap, he was wearing a **M1940 Stalhelm** on his head.

"Erika. Don't throw spanners at me. It hurt. Even with this on." The male replied, frowning at her. But Erika elbowed him in the arm, and his gaze fell on Maho. "Oh! Sorry Leutnant." He whispered, looking down as they all snapped to attention.

"At ease, men." Maho spoke. "And women." She added seeing Erika's smirk. "It's good to see you all. I know it's been a month, but. I guess formal introductions are still an order." He went over to the tallest male. He was old, older than Maho by only a few years. He had dark brown hair and rather kind, but dull brown eyes. His face reflected stress and exhaustion, but also good spirits. He was well dressed, apart from his sidecap that was a little askew to the right and rather dusty. " **Unteroffizier** Hilgeman, or should I say Ernst?" Maho smiled as she shook his hand gently.

"Welcome back, Leutnant." Ernst whispered, smiling slightly.

Maho moved on to the next male, who had blonde hair and strikingly blue eyes. He was the one that was wearing the stalhelm instead of a sidecap. He also looked quite young, but was rather enthusiastic and happy. Seeing Maho, he happily saluted her. "Welcome back Leutnant!" He exclaimed, holding out his hand quickly, in which Maho warmly shook.

"Still as hyper and enthusiastic as usual are we, Feldwebel Garbrecht? Or would you prefer me to call you Felix again?" Maho smiled faintly, saluting back to him. Although he was a person that would be the most likely to annoy her, she felt that he didn't totally mean to at times, as it was his nature to be enthusiastic and happy. So she felt she could be more forgiving to him.

She then moved on to the final male. He had light brown hair, and was rather tall; just slightly taller than herself. He also had pale, tired but kind looking grey eyes. "It's nice to see you back, Leutnant." He whispered.

Maho flashed a smile, and shook his hand warmly. "It's nice to see you too, Christian, or should I refer you as Unterfeldwebel Huch?" She asked, smiling as he looked down and chuckled quietly.

"I'd rather you call me Christian… Leutnant." He replied quietly. "Oh and Leutnant?" He began.

"Yes?"

"I'm now 20 years old. Since yesterday." He exclaimed, smiling.

Maho smiled. "Congratulations, Christian! You're no longer a pipsqueak! Ah. I'm just kidding!" She grinned as Christian started laughing.

She finally turned to Erika. "Ah. My most trusted crewmember. Feldwebel Austermann. Good thing you're here as well. I don't know what I'd have done without you 'controlling' them." Maho smiled slightly as she looked at the men.

"Always here to help you Leutnant." Erika replied, smiling and shaking Maho's hand gently.

Maho nodded in agreement. "I know, Erika. I know." She looked at the Tiger, then at her crew. "How is she doing?" She asked them, referring to the Tiger.

"She's in good condition ma'am." Ernst instantly replied. "We've cleaned up everything. Just working on some engine issues. The engine stalls sometimes, and we're working on it. Everything else is good. Transmission, hydraulics, wiring, the lot."

"But we need ammunition for the forward machine gun, the machine gun on the turret and shells. We also need more grenades. So basically we're low our own personal previsions. Including rations. We're low on rations as well." Erika quickly added. "Our MP40s and Lugers need some ammunition, and we also have a new weapon, don't we?" She looked at the men, who nodded, before she smirked and winked at Maho. "As a present for our commanders' return."

Maho smiled. "First, the supply convoy is stocking up each individual Tiger with ammunition, shells and rations. So don't worry about that. Secondly, what's the new weapon you've got for me?"

Erika climbed into the Tiger through the commander's hatch, before coming back out with a weapon. It had an all metal body, which gleamed in the sunlight, and a wooden stock at the end. But it wasn't a MP 40. It's appearance was totally different. The magazine was curved, instead of straight.

"You… brought me a **StG 44**?!" Maho exclaimed in surprise. She knew about a new weapon being designed, that was an automatic weapon. She had also heard about its superb reliability and accuracy. But production had only begun a few months back. She never thought she would be able to get her hands on one. "How did you get it?" She asked curiously. "Because these have only started production a few months ago."

Erika smiled faintly. "It was Major Gegenheimer's idea. He is quite well known within the Wehrmacht and the Panzerwaffe. So he used his… 'influence' to get you one of these new 'Assault rifles', so they are supposedly called. So here you go Leutnant." She passed the assault rifle to Maho. "A welcome back present, from all of us." She smiled.

Maho took the StG 44 into her hands and examined it. "Wow…" She whispered, looking at her crew and smiling. It wasn't too heavy or too light, and it was a good size for her to hold. She aimed it around and looked down the iron sight. It was clear and easy to see through. She then pulled the bolt backwards, which slid back smoothly before snapping back into place. "It's new alright… and seems to work perfectly well." She muttered. "But, we need the ammunition first. Get everything ready. Once the ammunition trucks are here, we'll load up. I want no delays. We're going to set off at 1700 hours, got it?" Maho added, looking up at her crew.

" **Jawohl** , Leutnant." They all answered, before climbing back onto their Tiger.

* * *

Maho climbed onto the engine hatch and kneeled down next to Erika, who was working on the engine, fiddling around with some wires. "Damn! Why won't it work?" She whispered angrily, before hanging her head and sighing.

"Need some help, Erika?" Maho asked, looking at her comrade with a small smile.

Erika instantly turned her head round. "I would love some help Leutnant." She simply replied.

Maho nodded and looked at the engine. "So we have several wires loose?" She asked. Seeing Erika nod, she tilted her head in thought. "Hmm. Okay." She reached down and started fiddling around for the wires. "Ah. Got them." She whispered to herself. She then got to work.

About 10 minutes later, she grinned. "Seems to be good now Erika. Tell Ernst to try and start the engine. If it works, the engine will start."

Erika nodded and clambered up to the turret and looked into the commanders' hatch. A few moments later, the tank juddered, and the familiar rumble of the engine growled into life. It seems to be working Leutnant!" She shouted over the din.

Maho smiled. "Tell him to turn it off!" She shouted. A few moments later, the engine cut and all was mostly quiet. Maho climbed onto the turret. "It works Erika." She stated as Erika nodded in agreement. "That's our final problem sorted."

Erika grinned. "Now we just need to wait for the sup- oh. Speak of the devil! It's here."

Maho turned round, and sure enough, several trucks had stopped just behind her Tiger. Two men jumped down from the truck and walked up to her.

"Leutnant." They saluted her as she jumped down from the engine and nodded. "Ma'am, we have the supplies. Tell us what you need and we'll give it to you."

Maho smiled faintly. "Right. My second in command will tell you what we need. Erika?" She turned round as Erika jumped down from the tank and stood next to Maho.

"Right. Tank shells first. Since our Tiger has capacity for 92 rounds, I was thinking about 50 **PzGr. 39** shells and 20 **Hl. Gr. 39** shells. That gives us 70 shells… so… We'll have two racks to spare." Erika stated.

"We'll leave the shells to last, as they take the most time. Do you need any ammunition, grenades or rations?" One of the men asked.

Maho nodded. "We're low on MG 34 ammunition. The forward machine gun needs 3 boxes of 500 rounds, and the turret MG 34 needs 2 boxes. We should have enough room near the front, where Ernst sits. Also…" She paused, as they handed out the boxes of ammunition, which Erika lifted up to the turret, and Christian took them into the tank. "We also need… 10 grenades." The men opened a box containing grenades, and took ten out, passing them to Erika who in turn handed them to Christian. "Finally, ammunition. We have 2 MP 40s inside… Erika. How many magazines do we need?" She asked.

Erika paused, scratching her head in thought. "Each magazine has 32 rounds; I'm thinking 10 magazines in total? That'll give us 320 rounds. It should be enough."

The men nodded and handed out 10 magazines to Erika, who took them and climbed into the tank, placing them where one of the empty ammunition racks were for the tank shells, before climbing out again.

"Luger ammo. 3 magazines for each crew member, so that'll be 15 magazines." She quickly added. "And 5 StG 44 magazines… if you have them."

The men smirked. "Someone lucky has a StG 44? We only have 7 magazines, so you might as well have them all." They handed Maho 15 luger magazines and 7 StG 44 magazines, in which she climbed into the tank and put them one of the empty racks, which now housed: ten grenades, ten MP 40 magazines. Fifteen Luger magazines and seven StG 44 magazines. "Wow. We have so much stuff; it's amazing we can fit all of this, as well as those tank shells." She looked at the rack that was closest to where she would be sat. "That'll be for our rations, I guess." She whispered to herself, before climbing out; only to be met with a large armful of rations given to her by Erika.

"Rations, Leutnant, Rations." Erika happily smiled, giving them to Maho. "We've got enough rations for four days. We've got: **Hartzweiback, Hartkeks, Rinderbraten, Hahnchenfleisch, Kandiezucter** and **Bohnenkaffee.** Because I know you like your coffee Leutnant…" Erika smirked, as Maho grinned and disappeared into the tank, placing all of it into the empty ammo rack and climbing back out again. By now, Erika had a tank shell in her hand.

"Make a chain. Tell Christian or Ernst to help load up." She muttered, straining slightly to keep the shell from falling out of her hand. Maho quickly took the shell from her arms and passed it to Christian; who had climbed out to help, who in turn passed it to Ernst, who slotted it into place in the ammo rack.

"Don't worry… Leutnant." Erika muttered, finding it hard to talk and lift shells at the same time. "69 more shells to go…" She chuckled as Maho lifted it and gave it to Christian; the process beginning again.

A while later, they had finally finished loading the shells into the tank. Maho climbed into the Tiger. "We need to see how much space we have inside with all of us in it." She stated, and one by one her crew members climbed in.

"Hmm. It's still quite roomy." Erika exclaimed in surprise as Ernst and Christian nodded in agreement. "Even with all this equipment in…" She looked round and on the floor beneath her were the two MP 40s. She glanced to Maho, and propped against her side of the turret was her StG 44.

"We need to see Erwin. She's briefing us on the offensive. Everyone else is going now." Maho suddenly muttered, opening the commander's hatch and climbing out. Her crew quickly followed. Outside, they could see other tank crewmen walking towards Erwin's tank; Erwin was stood on top of the turret, using it as a makeshift platform. Maho and her crew quickly walked over. Seeing Maho come, Erwin gave a small smile as Maho climbed up to the turret and joined her.

"Company. Atten-Tion!" Maho commanded, and the entire company snapped to attention.

"At ease, at ease." Erwin ordered a few moments later. "Is everyone present?"

"Aye Hauptmann!" The entire company replied.

"Good. Because I need to brief you on the upcoming offensive. Now all of you pay attention and listen." She smiled and climbed down to fetch an annotated map before unravelling it and showing them.

About half an hour later, there was the shout of "Company Dismissed" and they all returned back to their tanks, leaving Erwin and Maho together.

* * *

"That's that sorted I guess…" Maho whispered quietly to Erwin. There was a sudden change of tone within her; her happy, cheerful façade faded into her true self again, in which Erwin quickly picked up.

"What's bothering you Maho?" She questioned.

"It's just, is this going to work?" Maho replied slowly. "The offensive plan seems good enough, but will it actually work?" Maho secretly had doubts about this offensive all along; but she didn't want to tell anyone but Erwin. "The terrain is totally flat, and the Russian steppe has really tall grass; perfect for hiding ambush squads and **anti-tank guns**. I mean, they will go through our Tigers if they are close enough…"

Erwin sighed and put a hand on Maho's shoulder, trying to comfort her. "Maho, you sometimes worry too much and dwell on the past too often. You need to let go of these things. It's going to affect your combat performance." Erwin smiled slightly. "I know it's hard, but try for me. Okay?"

Maho nodded reluctantly. "I always try, Erwin, I really do. But… we've gone through too much… not all of these things we can always forget. Traumatic memories always come back to haunt us." She whispered, looking at Erwin. "After all, I don't want anyone in our Company to get killed…"

Erwin looked down, and then held Maho's hand gently, jumping off the turret onto the grass; in which Maho followed. "Maho. Forests burn, because they do. We try our best to prevent that from happening, but it still happens. It's the same in war. People will die, whether we like it or not. We try our best to prevent people getting killed, but it still happens. We've seen our fair share of death all too many times. I know it's hard to get over the death of someone that is close to you, but we have to try our best." She forced a smile. "Tell you what; I'll get you some coffee. You look shattered." Erwin smirked and whistled; a male climbed out from the tank and handed her field stove, her water canteen and a small packet of coffee grounds. She took out a lighter from her pocket and lit the stove, before pouring some of the water from her canteen into a mess kit cup. Next, she opened the coffee packet and poured the ground coffee into the cup, before placing it on the stove. Soon enough, there was a sweet aroma of coffee in the air, and Erwin turned off the stove, and gave the cup to Maho.

"Thanks." Maho replied quietly, taking a sip. "Oh, it's nice." She whispered, smiling slightly. "But we need to discuss some problems." She began.

"Oh?" Erwin looked at her.

"When we attack, we need to be on the lookout for ambushes. You know, anti-tank guns camouflaged in the grass, camouflaged T-34 tanks, and those sorts of things." Maho muttered. "The Soviets are really good with their camouflage and not being detected. So, we need to be careful. Knowing that the terrain in our sector is relatively flat, they most probably will place anti-tank mines around as well."

Erwin took out her map and laid it out on the floor, so both of them could see it. "I guess we can use the 'spearhead' formation. Our company is at the front with Tigers in a spearhead, and behind us will be the 20th Panzer Division with the Panzer III's and Panzer IV's. And in between would go the 6th infantry division. It should give them enough protection around our flanks."

Maho nodded, then pointed at a hill indicated on the map with her finger. "They will most probably place artillery guns and **Katyusha's** there, but we can use the village here," She pointed at the village located around ¾ of a mile away from the hill. "That is one of our objectives, to secure a hold on the village of **Olkhvotka** from the Soviets. I guess here we'll have to put our Tigers in a staggered line; we'll attack from the front, whilst the 20th Panzers and 6th Infantry will flank the village."

"That'll work, I guess." Erwin nodded, before turning round suddenly. There was a quiet rumble of engines that slowly became louder and louder. She looked down at her watch. "It's 1700 hours. Let's get ready." As she said that, the first few Tigers began to rumble past, in the lead tank was Major Gegenheimer's; he opened the commander's hatch and looked at Erwin. "We're moving out now Hauptmann! Mount up!" He shouted over the din.

"Yes sir!" Erwin shouted back, and she quickly climbed up onto her tank. "B Company! We're moving out now! Let's mount up!" She shouted, before climbing into her tank and closing the commander's hatch.

Maho walked up towards her tank, and nodded at her crew, who were resting on their tank. "Mount up." She muttered simply. "We're leaving now." They nodded and quickly climbed into the tank. Maho followed them, and sat down in her commander's chair, which was positioned left the main gun. Erika was directly in front and below her; she was their gunner. Felix was sat on Maho's right; he was their loader. Ernst was sat in the driver's seat; which was below Erika, and on Ernst's right, sat the radio operator and forward machine gunner; Christian. Maho put on her headphones and put her throat mic round her neck . When she did, she heard Erwin's voice crackle through the speakers.

"All units, follow my lead. I will be at the front, Leutnant Ketler will be second, then Oberfeldwebel Brun. Afterwards, all units follow on, clear? And one more thing." She paused for a moment. "We'll be travelling through the night under radio silence. Also, once we get to our rendezvous point, we'll have a chance to refuel, and make final maintenance works on our Tigers, clear?"

"Jawohl Hauptmann." Maho replied through her in built mike, and the other tank commander's quickly followed suit.

"Good. Now, let's roll out!"

"Ernst, start the engine. Let's go." Maho muttered, and their engine sputtered and growled into life. She opened the commander's hatch and stood up; the upper half of her body now exposed to the surroundings. She jumped a little as the Tiger lurched forwards, slowly gathering speed and following Erwin's tank. She looked behind and saw Karla, who smiled and waved at her. Maho waved back then turned to face the front again.

'At least she's enthusiastic.' She thought to herself as they started moving off towards the dusty track. Soon enough, they were on the road, following Manfred's A Company in a large tank column. She looked behind her once more; she could see C Company's Tiger's, a few meters behind their last tank. And behind them came the engineering company. Maho looked down and sighed quietly.

'So it begins…'

* * *

Notes:

 **UPDATE: CHAPTER 5 IS NOW LIVE.**

Sorry for the overuse of technical language. I kind of went over the top. I PROMISE THERE WILL BE A GLOSSARY FOR YOU SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND -Cries.-

Any reviews with CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISIM will be welcomed, thank you.

 **If you've enjoyed reading this chapter, and want to know what happens next, don't hesistate to follow and favourite! It helps me know that what I'm writing is enjoyable too!**


	5. Chapter 5: The road to Kursk

**Chapter 5: The road to Kursk**

2nd July, 1943. 1920 hours.

"So, Leutnant, what do you plan to do when this war is finished?" Felix's voice cut across Maho's concentration like a sudden lash of the whip.

Maho, who was sitting down on her commander's chair, was just playing with the lighter in her hand; clicking it and watching the yellow glow appear and dance in her sight. She was inside her mind again, delving into the vast depths of memories it had accumulated over the years. "Depends if I ever come back from this hellhole of a war." She muttered bluntly, not totally focusing on the question.

"Aw, come on Leutnant! Don't be so pessimistic!" Christian chirped in, but Maho wasn't listening. In fact, she wasn't even focusing on their conversation anymore. She was fiddling with her lighter again; staring into the depths of the yellow light which erupted from it. All noise from the tank ceased to sound in her ear. The voices stopped. The rumbling of the engine stopped. Then the small flame from the lighter erupted into a massive fireball. Her nostrils smelt the smell of burning metal and fuel. The all too familiar stench of burning human flesh. She blinked, and she was standing next to a burning tank. A smoking hole burned through the side of the tank. The engine sputtered with flames and smoke. She then heard a short scream emanate from within. Then cries and yells of absolute agony.

'That scream…' She thought to herself. Her eye suddenly widened in absolute horror. 'Erwin!'

She instantly jumped onto the burning tank and opened the commander's hatch. "Erwin!" She screamed, hoping for a response from her friend. Two hands shakily reached out to hers, in which Maho instantly grabbed. Who she pulled out was as if something from a nightmare; it was Erwin. Or. What was left of her. She was missing her left foot, blood pouring from the jagged stump that was left. Her uniform was torn open, multiple serrated bits of shrapnel embedded inside of her. Half of her face and both of her arms burnt almost down to the bone; her muscle tissue burnt to almost cinders. Maho pulled her out of the tank and both fell onto the grassy floor below them, just as the ammunition exploded, the entire tank being engulfed in a fireball.

"G-Go… Maho…" Erwin choked, blood spitting out of her mouth with every word she spoke. "Leave… m-me-e…"

"No Erwin!" Maho shouted, tears falling down her cheeks freely. "I'll never leave you! Never!" She held Erwin's hand tightly. "I'll get help! I promise!" She started to break down. "I-I p-promis-se-e… I won't… lea-"

"Leutnant?"

Erika was looking at Maho, her hand clasped round Maho's gently. "It's okay…" She whispered.

Maho whirled round to face her. All the sights, the blood instantly disappeared. She was sitting in her commander's chair. The lighter was still held in her hand.

'It's happened again… It never was Erwin…Those thoughts, they mix everything up… they're coming ba-'

"That's an interesting question, Ernst. I think we should ask Maho about this." Christian responded suddenly, cutting Maho's trail of thought. She slowly looked down to her hands; they were shaking, but not too badly.

"Leutnant, what's your view on this war?" Christian asked, and everyone fell silent to hear her response.

Maho blinked, and looked down. "It was a mistake." She said simply. "Why are we to wage a war that we're never going to win?"

The tank was silent for a while. Then Erika spoke up. "I agree."

Felix smirked. "Really? We're here to fight. And to win. Because we have the Führer. If we have him on our side, we'll win."

Maho and Erika sighed. Again, there was silence in the tank for a little while until Maho suddenly sat up. "You haven't seen many battles have you, Felix?" She asked quietly. But her tone of voice was cold, and harsh. "You don' t know the harsh reality of war, do you?"

"N-No Leutnant. I was just saying what the newsreels say back home." Felix replied quickly, backing up.

"The newsreels are utter rubbish. It's just propaganda to motivate them back home to make them think we're winning. It's the opposite." Erika muttered.

Felix shivered, knowing that he'd somehow struck a nerve. "All I wanted was to raise our moral…" He whispered sheepishly.

Maho sighed. She felt bad for snapping out at Felix again. "I know Felix… But sometimes those things aren't propaganda if you've experienced it multiple times on the battlefield." She reached down to the ammo rack which housed their rations, and took out her water canteen; sipping the water several times. "How long have you spent at the front, Felix?" She asked.

"Errm… Just over 6 months, Leutnant." He replied quietly.

"What about you, Christian?" Maho now turned his attention to him.

"Just over 9 months, Leutnant."

Maho nodded slowly. "I was here ever since we invaded the Soviet Union. Make that just over two years." She sighed. "Same with Erika."

Erika forced a small smile. "So, what we're trying to say is that we've seen things you haven't seen. By now, we both know that we're just like pigs for slaughter… For us," She looked round at the entire crew. "It isn't about winning the war anymore." She whispered.

"It's about surviving." Maho finished off Erika's sentence. "And we have to achieve that by whatever means possible." She looked at Felix. "You don't want to die, do you?" Seeing Felix's nod, she smiled faintly. "Don't worry. I'll protect you. I'm your commander. I have my responsibility to keep my crew alive to fight. And to return home."

"Thank you… Leutnant." Her crew answered, and the uneasy silence slowly crept back into the tank.

Maho gave Erika a quick nod and smile, before looking around the tank. "Anyone need some fresh air? I can open the commander's hatch for a bit." She asked, wanting to rid the silence for a little longer.

"Aye, Leutnant. That'll be nice." Ernst spoke quietly, and Maho nodded, before opening the hatch. The cool evening air was soon rushing into the tank.

"Ah.. Much better… Thanks Leutnant." Ernst replied, rolling his shoulders a bit.

Suddenly, Erwin's voice crackled through the radio and through Maho's headphones again. "All commanders. This is Hauptmann Brandt. Status check on your tanks. Just be aware about engine oil pressure and fuel capacity. Radio silence will begin at 2100 hours. Have a nice journey. That's if travelling in a tank ever is nice…"

"Ernst. How much fuel do we have left?" Maho quickly asked.

"Fuel is at… 347 litres. We started off with full tanks at 540 litres. So we're doing well." He quickly responded. "Oil pressure is normal."

Maho nodded. "Thanks." She then adjusted her headphone. "Erwin. Do you copy?" She spoke into her throat mic.

"Aye, Leutnant. Reading you loud and clear." Erwin responded quickly. "Is there a problem?"

"No, none of that sort." Maho spoke. "What distance do we have to travel? Because I think that we may not have enough fuel for the journey."

"Give me a minute Leutnant." Erwin spoke, as she fumbled around with her map. "Judging from the map, from where we are now, to our rendezvous, which is around 500m from the front line trenches, we'll be travelling around 184km. On full fuel, our Tigers can travel 190km. So we will just about make it, although we have to refuel before the offensive starts. Does that satisfy you?"

Maho nodded. "Aye, Hauptmann. Thanks."

Erwin smiled from her position in her commander's chair. "Glad to be of help Leutnant."

* * *

 _2_ _nd_ _July, 1943. 2300 hours._

Maho's eyes snapped open as they went over a bump in the road. "Ugh.. What time is it, anyone?" She mumbled sleepily.

Erika checked her watch. "Just gone past… 2300 hours Leutnant." She replied.

Maho groaned, and rested her neck on the back of her chair. "Ernst, what speed are we driving at?"

"We're averaging 20km/h Leutnant. Since that's how fast our convoy is going."

Maho nodded in thanks, then paused. "So… if we're traveling at 20km/h, and we have 184km to cover… that means we have to travel for at least 9 hours…" She groaned then settled back down into her chair, tilting her head back so she was staring at the turret ceiling. "Ugh. Still got 3 hours to go…"

Erika smiled and looked at Maho. "Don't worry… we're all as tired as you are. We've hardly gotten any sleep for the last few days."

Maho nodded, but wasn't really paying attention; as she had taken out a small notebook from her pocket and a pencil, and was writing down something. She then stopped, and looked at Erika. "Have you not?"

"Yeah…" Erika nodded. "We've been up the last few nights doing maintenance. We had to fix up that engine, and other problems with our Tiger. First, one of the fuel tanks was leaking, so we had to fix that, and some maintenance on the main gun barrel. It was a little worn down."

"I see." Maho replied quietly, scribbling into her diary again. She then stopped, and tore the page out of the book, before folding it into quarters. "That'll do." She whispered to herself. "Erika, see if this is good enough for Miho."

Erika smiled faintly. "Writing a letter to her, Leutnant?" Seeing Maho nod, she looked down. "I'm glad you have a sister to look after… when you go back."

Maho nodded again. "Yeah…" She passed the folded piece of paper to Erika, who took it and unfolded it and began reading it.

* * *

 _Miho,_

 _When this letter arrives to you, I hope it finds you in good health._

 _I will be in battle by the time you get this letter, but I am heading towards a major offensive against the Soviet Union as I write this. I can't specifically tell you where and when, but I just wanted to let you know._

 _I'm okay right now. My crew is also in good spirit, although they are rather tired and not had any sleep for the last few days. We've restocked our equipment and our now heading towards our rendezvous point._

 _Again, I'm sorry for leaving you alone with mother, but I'm only doing my duty to protect our homeland. It is only a matter of time, as I have told you countless times, that we shall lose this war. Don't believe the propaganda they show at home, because it is not true. At all. It is all lies. It is only a matter of time our armies will be utterly defeated._

 _But, please do not tell mother this. She worries about me enough, and I do not want her to worry even more after reading this letter._

 _I don't want to worry you, but I have a feeling that this offensive isn't going to work. It will fail, and it will seal our fate on this front. But don't worry about me, Miho. I need you to take care of mother for me whilst I'm gone._

 _And, if I do not come back, I want you to remember this. I have loved you, and always will love you more than you will ever know in my heart. But I promise, I will try my utter best to come back to you after the offensive is finished._

 _Also, Hauptmann Brandt told me that she sends her kindest regards to you, and that we will take care of you as much as she can if you decide to enlist in the Panzerwaffe._

 _Tell mother that I pass my best regards to her, and not to worry about me so much._

 _From,_

 _Your dearest sister, Leutnant Maho Ketler._

* * *

"Seems to be good enough, Leutnant. But one thing…" Erika muttered, folding up and passing the letter back to Maho. "Do you really believe the war is lost…?" She whispered, dropping her voice right down so none of the other crew members could hear.

Maho sighed. "Erika… we both know it is. We don't want to accept it, but you've seen it for yourself." She whispered. "After the defeat at Stalingrad, all we've done is retreat westwards." She looked at Erika, and her brown eyes met Erika's light blue eyes. "You were there, weren't you?" She asked. "You fought at Stalingrad… and saw the carnage there."

Erika nodded, her eyes tearing up slightly. "Yes… I was Leutnant. I lost so many friends I knew there. Including my sister, as I've told you before." She whispered. "I thought I was lost in an endless hell. I lost everything and everyone I cared for there. I was lost like that until I transferred here and met you, Leutnant. And Hauptmann Brandt as well." She forced a smile. "Both of you understood. You especially. You knew how it felt to lose friends in war, and how to deal with it." She paused for a moment, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face. "You told me that, yes, the war is lost, but. We still have a hope. A hope that we could return to our families after this war. And Hauptmann Brandt taught me this lesson: We're not here to fight for the Nazi regime. We're here to fight for our families. We're protecting them."

Maho smiled slightly, and her hand gently clasped around Erika's. "Yes, Erika. We're fighting for our families back home. But I still need your sharp eyes to destroy those soviet tanks. I need your skill as a gunner to help us achieve whatever victory we can have."

"You've got my word, Leutnant." She replied, nodding and settled back into her chair again. But she quickly sat up and turned right round to face Maho again. "Can I ask you a question?" She spoke.

"Go ahead."

"Why did you join the panzerwaffe, Leutnant?" Erika stated, attempting to lighten the mood again. "In fact, just to pass the time, I'll ask this question to everyone. Why did each of you enlist into the panzerwaffe?"

Felix was the first to respond. "I actually wanted to join the **Heer** , but I thought it would be more fun to join the panzerwaffe. So, I enlisted just about 2 years ago. After training as a loader, I was recommended for officer training, and after I'd finished that, here I am." He smiled. "Went into action only once." He then looked at Maho. "This is my first time at the front. I've spent half a year here. So I am new to the front, even though I've known you for some time."

Erika nodded. "Okay. Ernst next."

"Me? Oh… I…" Ernst stuttered slightly, not particularly liking to be put under the spotlight. "I joined in January 1941… I thought I would do my bit for my country." He spoke quietly. "I was part of the panzer divisions that attacked Moscow in 1941. I'd just finished my training when **Operation Barbarossa** began. "I've hadn't returned to Germany ever since. I've never been injured…" He smiled. "Either I'm really lucky or I'm always just at the right time and right place not to get hit."

"Well… Aren't you lucky." Maho joked sarcastically. "Just wait till you have shrapnel embedded up your backside…" Everyone in the tank then started laughing. Even Maho smiled slightly at her joke. "Anyways. Who's next?"

"I'll go Erika." Christian quickly responded. Looking around first to make sure everyone was concentrating, he then began. "I was conscripted in June 1942, first to the Heer, but then they thought I would be better off in the panzerwaffe, so partway through my training, I was transferred to the panzer training schools. I trained as a radio operator. Obviously." He added, seeing Erika shake her head in an "I-couldn't-have-guessed-that-in-my-wildest-dreams" look. "Then after I finished retraining in November '42, I was quickly deployed to the Eastern Front, and to serve in the 505th Heavy Tank Battalion, B Company. I've also been on this front ever since."

"Hm. Just wait till you get sent to the Western Front. I've heard it's almost heavenly for the troops there." Erika muttered, smirking. "Good food 3 times a day, little or no action. What more could you want?" She grinned at Christian. "I guess I'll go next then." She took a deep breath. "So, when the war broke out in 1939, I enlisted in the Panzerwaffe. After I finished my gunnery training , I was put in the reserve for the time being, until 1941. That was when I was assigned to the 20th Panzer Division, 3rd Panzer regiment. I've forgotten which platoon and which company, but that doesn't matter." She paused to take a breath. "So, when Operation Barbarossa began, the 20th Panzers were spearheading the advance. I took part in the Battle for Moscow and Stalingrad. During those times, I was always being transferred to other divisions. But when Battle of Stalingrad was drawing to a close, I was sent back to Germany for retraining as a gunner for the new Tiger tanks. I finished my training in December '42 and was retransferred to the 505th, where we were retreating from Stalingrad back to our reserve front lines to resupply, repair and rest. There, I met Leutnant Ketler," She turned round and smiled at Maho." And that brings me to where we are now." She smiled faintly, and looked at Maho. "You're next Leutnant." Everyone turned round to look at her, apart from Ernst, who was focusing on driving the tank.

Maho sighed, and clicked her neck once. "If you really want to know my life story, then here we go." She looked down at her hands as she began to speak. "So, I was studying in Frankfurt when the news that war broke out. Hauptmann Brandt and I enlisted in the Panzerwaffe together. We've known each other for a long time. We studied in the same schools, until she went to study in Dresden. We both enlisted to do our part for the country. So, when we finished our training in mid-1940, we both ended up in the 1st Panzer Division. I took part in the invasion of France. Afterwards, both of us were transferred to 16th Panzer Division, and took part in the battle of Stalingrad. We got encircled, but a few survivors, including Erwin and I escaped. Afterwards, we got recognised for our leadership, and were sent back to Germany for retraining on Tigers. We finished retraining, and were sent back to the front with the newly formed 505th. We fought a defensive retreat until I was injured about a month ago." Maho forced a smile. "And now I've come back, everything's changed and we're now heading into an offensive."

"Don't worry Leutnant. Situations in war always change without little or no notice." Ernst added.

Maho smirked once. "Thank you Ernst, I think I've definitely not noticed that." She replied sarcastically, causing Erika and Christian to chuckle lightly.

"Alright lads and ladies, let's not get too excited. We've still got a bit of distance to cover. Just sit back and relax. If that's even possible in a metal box like this." Erika smiled, and looked at Maho. "I think our Leutnant needs a bit of rest."

Felix looked over at Maho. "Oh. She's asleep." He whispered.

Sure enough, Maho was slumped back in her chair, her head hanging. She had taken off her headphones and put them on her lap.

Erika smiled. 'Maho always looks adorable when she sleeps. But falling in a Tiger is almost impossible. I guess she really is tired…'

* * *

 _3_ _rd_ _July, 1943. 0230 hours._

"All units, this is Major Gegenheimer. We've arrived at our rendezvous. I repeat, all units, to halt immediately!"

Maho snapped awake at the sound of Manfred's voice suddenly crackling through the radio and her headphones. "Ernst, Stop!" She shouted, still half awake.

"Already done that Leutnant." Ernst quietly replied. A few moments later Manfred's voice spoke through the radio again.

"Okay. This is what is going to happen. A Company, you'll be parking your Tigers where those artillery guns are. At your 9 o'clock. Make sure you are about 100m behind them, so there is space for their ammunition trucks to drive past. B and C Company, you are to park on the left, at 3 o'clock, where the other artillery pieces are. Clear?"

"Jawohl, Major." Erwin, Maho and the other company commanders responded.

"Let's move out. Get some rest. We've had a long night. Over and out." Manfred spoke again.

Maho opened the commander's hatch. "You know where you're going, Ernst? Just follow Erwin's lead."

"Aye Leutnant." He replied, breaking formation and following Erwin's tiger.

Maho stood up, her upper half of her body exposed to the elements again, and looked around. In the distance, about ½ a mile away she could see the miles frontline trenches where the infantry were. She looked to her left and right; massive 105mm and 150mm heavy artillery guns were positioned in the tall grass, some of the gun crews were still awake, doing maintenance on them. Trucks rumbled past on makeshift roads every few seconds. Just in front of them, an infantry platoon marched past, heading towards the trenches. Eventually, the engine cut tank juddered to a stop. Maho looked to her right; Erwin had just opened the commander's hatch.

"B Company, this is Hauptmann Brandt. We'll just stop here. Line up your tanks in a horizontal line next to mine and Leutnant Ketler's." She spoke. "Get some rest. We've had a long night. We'll make sure our Tigers are in top condition over the next two days, got it?"

"Aye, Hauptmann." Maho and the other tank commanders replied, most of them sleepily. Maho looked up at the night sky. The sky was cloudless, and the moon shone down, its silvery haze illuminating much of the surroundings. She sat down in her chair, and looked round. Most of her crew were already sleeping. Erika had her head resting gently on the side of the cannon breech. Maho forced another smile, and tried to get some rest herself.

'We've arrived.'

* * *

Notes:

 **UPDATE: Chapter 6 is up.**

Any constructive reviews will be welcome.

 **If you've liked what I've written, or found it interesting, or just want to know what will happen next, don't hesistate to favourite and follow it! It also helps me know that what I'm writing is something you enjoy!**


	6. Chapter 6: The offensive begins

**Chapter 6: The offensive begins.**

 _"So, why did you join the Panzerwaffe? Conscription? Or did you feel like joining?" Maho asked gently._

 _Karla shook her head. "I joined, because I wanted to become a tank crewwoman. I joined with my…other half. I thought it would be all fun and games, and that we'd have an easy time. She thought that too. We thought that the war would be over shortly. Until… All this bullshit happened." She shook her head again. "I've seen… too much. I can never forget those things I've seen." She began to tear up again. "I-I…I…" She violently shook her head, before sobbing quietly._

 _Maho shuffled closer; putting an arm round her shoulder. She hadn't known Karla for more than a few hours, but she felt that she was like a little sister for her. "Hey. It's okay." She whispered, trying her best to comfort her. "Tell me what happened… It's best for you to let it all out."_

 _Karla nodded, and shuffled closer so that they were only a few inches apart. "We were in the 3_ _rd_ _Panzer Army, 41_ _st_ _Panzer Corps, and 1st Panzer Division. We both were in the same tank, a_ _ **Panzer. IV C**_ _, taking part in the battle for Moscow. We were performing a pincer manoeuvre to encircle soviet forces in Vyzama." Karla sighed, then shook her head, pausing for a few moments. "We were suddenly attacked by some Soviet T-34 tanks that were trapped in the encirclement. It was a one sided fight. Our guns couldn't penetrate the frontal armour of a T-34… And then…t-then-n…" She started tearing up again._

 _Maho nodded once. "Go on…"_

 _Karla composed herself, then continued. "So, our tank managed to take out one T-34 by hitting its engine, but we got hit. The round went through the front, and decapitated the loader, and nearly tore the gunner in half. She was the driver, so she got out of the driver's hatch, and I through the commander's hatch. Once I was on the ground, I turned round, and as I did…" She began tearing up again. "A round hit exactly where she was, and s-she got blown-n apart i-in-st-tantly…" Karla shook her head and put her hands to her face, sobbing quietly. "She… was my twin sister."_

 _Maho sighed, and put an arm round Karla's shoulder. "I'm so sorry to hear that. But I promise you this, Karla."_

 _"Hm?" She looked up at Maho, with tears still sliding down from her eyes._

 _"If you're ever feeling sad, or alone, I'll be around to talk to you." Maho whispered. "Because, I understa-"_

* * *

 _3_ _rd_ _July, 1943. 0800 hours._

Maho awoke suddenly, and it took her a few moments to realise where she was. She was still sitting in her commander's chair. Outside, there was a noisy bustle of people talking, trucks driving past, sound of equipment moving around.

 _'What Karla told me on the train… still haunts me. It could happen to any of us, at any time…'_

She stood up and climbed onto the turret, taking in the warm, morning air of the Russian steppe. She climbed down, and walked to the front of the tank. There, her crew were sitting on the grass, with the field stove lit and a cup on it. When she got closer, she could smell the distinct bittersweet smell of the coffee. Erika turned round.

"Ah, Maho's awake." Erika stood up, and they all followed suit; snapping to attention. "Morning Leutnant." She saluted.

"Morning Erika, morning men." She replied, returning Erika's salute. "At ease."

They sat down, and Erika shuffled up to make space for Maho, in which Maho quickly sat down in. Erika looked at the coffee, then took the cup off the field stove and gave it to Maho. "Your coffee, Leutnant. You look shattered."

"Oh? Thank you." Maho muttered, taking the cup with two hands and sipping the coffee. "Have you guys gotten anything to eat?" She asked.

"Aye, we've got some of that Hartzweiback. We were going to wait for you, then eat." Ernst whispered, standing up and walking to the tank. He climbed into the tank. Moments later, he popped his head out "Rinderbraten or Hahnchenfleisch?" He shouted.

"Your call." Maho muttered, sipping her coffee every once in a while. "Chicken or beef, I don't mind."

"We don't mind! Either will do!" Erika shouted back, and Ernst soon came back with 5 packs of Hartzweiback and 5 cans of Hahnchenfleisch.

"Here you go, Leutnant." He whispered, handing Maho a pack of Hartzweiback and a can of the canned chicken, before distributing the rest out to the others.

"Thanks, Ernst." Maho replied, and the other followed suit. Maho stood up and walked back to the Tiger, climbing in and fetching her combat knife and fork from her mess kit. She pulled it from the scabbard and quickly examined it. It had a black handle, with the eagle and swastika engraved on it. She quickly sat back down and pierced the lid of the can with the tip, ripping the lid off slowly. The smell of the small chunks of chicken and broth suddenly made her realise she hadn't eaten anything since yesterday morning. She opened the Hartzweiback, and crumbled the bread –like biscuit into small croutons, mixing everything around with her fork, before taking a bite.

"Wow. I forgot these actually taste alright." She muttered, before taking another bite of the chicken.

Erika smiled, watching the rest of the crew tuck into their 'breakfast' before she took a bite of the Hartzweiback. "It's the canned turkey you want to look out for. They taste horrible. The chicken is fine, the canned beef is fine, but not the turkey." She grinned and ate a piece of the chicken.

"I've got jobs that need doing today." Maho began, taking another sip of her coffee. "Erika, I need you to check the gun sights, the horizontal and vertical turret drives are working perfectly fine. Also do make sure the trigger works. Felix. Check the cannon breech, and make sure the shells are easily within your reach. Check that the loading mechanism fully works and doesn't get jammed. Ernst, check the tracks, and clean them if they are too muddy. Also check that the fuel and oil pressure gauges are working perfectly fine. Christian, make sure all the headphones, throat mics and the radio are in perfect condition. Clear?"

"Jawohl Leutnant." They all replied promptly.

"We've got two whole days to do this, so don't rush and exhaust yourselves." She added, smiling slightly. "I want my crew to be in good form when we set off."

"You forcing your crew to do jobs already? Leutnant, you're quite the sadist." Erwin spoke from behind her, making Maho nearly spill her coffee when she jumped.

"H-Hauptmann, don't scare me like that!" Maho replied quietly, putting her coffee down and standing up; snapping to attention. Seeing her snap to attention, her entire crew stood up and stood to attention.

"As you were." Erwin muttered quietly, and they all sat down. "Maho? Care if you want to take a walk with Oberfeld Brun and I?" She asked.

Maho stood up. "I wouldn't mind that, Hauptmann, but can I at least finish my food and coffee?" She gave Erwin a cheeky grin.

"Of course, Leutnant. I'll be with Oberfeld Brun at my Tiger, okay?" Erwin replied, nodding and walking off.

Maho quickly finished her food, and drank the rest of her coffee. "You know what to do. But don't kill yourselves over it." She gave them all a quick smile, before picking up her combat knife and sliding it back into its scabbard, before walking off towards Erwin's tank.

* * *

When she arrived at Erwin's tank, Erwin and Karla were standing there, waiting for her. Karla, having the lowest rank there, stood at attention and saluted when she saw Maho. "Morning Leutnant." She spoke quietly, giving Maho a delightful smile, which made Maho genuinely smile. Interestingly enough, Karla, Erwin, Miho and Erika were the only people who could make Maho break into a genuine smile.

"Morning, Karla." She replied, returning her salute. "Did you get any rest last night?"

Karla nodded, her hair moving elegantly in the wind due to a slight breeze. "A few hours' sleep, Leutnant. It's enough." She smiled. "Hauptmann Brandt told me that you had already set your crew on preparing your Tiger for battle. She said that you're quite the sadist…But I know you have your reasons." She added, seeing Maho raise a brow at Erwin, who chuckled and looked down.

"Well, since Maho's here, who's up for a little walk?" Erwin asked causally.

"Count me in, Leutnant." Karla responded almost immediately, and Maho nodded.

Erwin smiled and gestured for them to follow her. They walked towards an empty field. "It's beautiful here, isn't it? She openly stated as they walked alongside her.

Maho and Karla nodded in agreement. "It's nice, yes. But it's a shame we're fighting for this useless scrap of land." Maho sighed, before looking round. "If this war never broke out, I'd have went on a trip here."

Karla nodded, but then turned when she heard engines rumbling in the distance. "Looks like the infantry are getting some replacements." She muttered, pointing at a convoy of troop transport trucks coming to a stop about 100m ahead of them and to the left.

"Infantry. They hate us, but know that they'd be dead meat without us." Maho muttered, as the men jumped from the back and started walking towards the trenches in no apparent formation. Erwin nodded in agreement.

"Got a lighter?" She asked both of them, as she took out a cigarette packet and took one out. Maho nodded, and handed Erwin her lighter.

"You got a smoke?" Maho asked casually. Erwin grinned and passed the cigarette packet to her, before lighting the cigarette and putting it in her mouth.

"I thought you didn't smoke Maho." She muttered, before breathing in deeply once, and exhaling the smoke. She then gave Maho her lighter back, in which she lit her cigarette.

"Being a commander is more stressful than you think it is. It changes people." Maho spoke before inhaling a relatively small breath, and exhaling it calmly. "Want one, Karla?"

Karla was about to reply when several men from the infantry platoon walked up to them. All of them had blonde hair and blue eyes, and leered unpleasantly at the three officers.

"Well. What have we got here? Gals dressing up as officers?" One asked sarcastically, grinning as the others laughed.

Erwin frowned. "I'd advise you to hold your tongue, **Gefreiter**. You're lucky that I'm not asking for your name, rank and serial number so I can talk to your commanding officer." She muttered. "But I'm not sure Leutnant Ketler will be as kind."

Maho frowned at them. "She's right. One. You are insulting a senior officer, which is an offence that can be led to a court martial. Two. I want your name, rank and serial number, right now." She whispered with deadly intensity.

"Oh, I'm so sorry… _Leutnant._ " The man said sarcastically. "Ketler… The Leutnant Ketler from the 16th Panzer Division?" Seeing her nod he grinned. "We've heard all about you and your Panzer Division's downfall. What was it?" He asked his friends, who smirked.

Maho frowned, her hand slowly moving towards her Luger that was in its holster. She hated it when people made fun of divisions that were encircled and destroyed by the Soviets. Propaganda at home said those who escaped the encirclement were traitors to the Reich. She hated those who made fun of the men and women who had fallen in combat. She turned to glance at Erwin. She shook her head.

"Don't do it." She mouthed silently.

"Oh. I know what you did then. You escaped from encirclement, you _coward_." The man grinned. "You and the 16th Panzers. All Cowards." He spat.

Maho gritted her teeth and looked up at the man. Before she knew it, She took out her Luger and had whacked the soldier across the face with it and kicked him hard in the ribs, causing him to fall down. Once he was down, she stamped on his chest and pointed the gun at his head. The other men instantly pointed their rifles at Maho.

"Don't. You. Dare. Call me a coward. I've fought through much more battles than you. I've seen much more than you." She hissed, her finger resting on the trigger. "And when you address a female officer, you say ma'am." She stamped on his chest again, then looked at the rest of the men. "I'll say this clearly. If you ever insult another female officer in this manner from my Company, I shall make sure you are court martialled. Got it?" She stamped on the man's chest again.

"Stand down, Leutnant!" Erwin shouted, her Luger drawn at the men aiming their rifles at Maho, with Karla doing the same.

"You better take what you said back." Maho whispered quietly. "Otherwise Hauptmann Brandt, Oberfeldwebel Brun and I will make sure you all will be seeing the court martials in less than 48 hours. Or we'll just make sure you have bullet holes in your head, which is a lot easier for us. Clear?"

"Leutnant, Stand. Down!" Erwin shouted again. But out of her corner of her eye, she could see the men's commanding officer walking down to investigate. "Shit…"

"What's going on here?" The commanding officer muttered. He then turned his attention to Maho. "What is she doing assaulting my men?"

Maho stood up fully and put her Luger back into its holster. "Your men. Insulted three officers. Us." She gestured at her shoulder strap, then at Erwin's and Karla's.

"I don't care." The man spoke. "You assaulted on of my men. I can court martial you. I want name, your rank and serial number."

Maho frowned. "I'm not giving you any of my details until I get his." She pointed at the man she'd tackled to the floor.

Erwin stepped forward. "I'm her commanding officer. If you want to talk to someone about this, you talk to me."

The commanding officer looked at Erwin. "Fine." He spat.

"I'd watch your attitude, Feldwebel. You're talking to a superior officer." Erwin muttered.

"Sorry… Hauptmann. I'm Feldwebel Febinger, 6th Infantry division, 2nd Regiment, 1st Battalion." He muttered, saluting.

"I'm Hauptmann Brandt. 505th Heavy Tank Battalion. B Company." She returned her salute. "I guess we'll take this situation from here." She forced a smile. "Oberfeldwebel Brun, take the Leutnant back to our Company, if you please."

Karla nodded and looked at Maho. "Let's go, Leutnant." She spoke softly. Maho nodded and followed her closely.

The officer looked at his men. "I'll join you at the frontline trench. Go." His men nodded, and set off for the frontline, swinging their rifles onto their shoulders. The man whom Maho had knocked down stood up, and cast a dark look at Maho and Karla, before walking away.

* * *

 _3_ _rd_ _July, 1943. 1900 hours._

Maho was standing next to Erwin's tank. She'd completed her own tasks on her Tiger; make sure the front and turret machine gun were working, and check all the equipment they needed were there. She now wanted to talk to Erwin. But she'd gone to get something from Manfred, and was returning. Maho looked at her crew; they were still sorting out the Tiger, and making it battle ready. On the floor were several empty cans; they'd already eaten their dinner.

"Waiting for me, Maho?" A voice emanated from behind her. Maho turned round.

"Oh, hey Erwin." She forced a smile.

Erwin smiled back and walked so she was facing Maho. "You did the right thing." She whispered. "If you didn't take that bastard down, I would've." She frowned. "I'd have beat the crap out of him and shoved my knife right up hi-"

"I get the message, Erwin." Maho muttered. "But still…" She smiled and looked at her superior. "It felt good beating him up."

"You looked scary when you beat him up." A quiet voice spoke, causing both Erwin and Maho to jump, then start laughing.

"The scary one is you, Karla." Maho joked, as she turned round and saw Karla appearing from the other side of Erwin's tank.

"I didn't mean to scare you…" She whispered innocently, before looking at Maho and Erwin. "Do any of you have a smoke?" She asked casually.

Erwin and Maho blinked in surprise. "I thought you didn't smoke." They both whispered at the same time.

"…When you asked me if I wanted a smoke, Leutnant." Karla began quietly. "I was going to say yes, until that lot came." She smiled. "I've tried going off smoking for a long time, but I've given up now."

Maho sighed, as Erwin passed a cigarette to her. "You know it's bad for you, right?"

"Aye, Leutnant. But it calms the nerves…" Karla smiled, as she held the cigarette in one hand and lit it with the other, before inhaling deeply and exhaling the smoke a few seconds after.

"I guess that's why we smoke as well…" Maho muttered quietly, gesturing Erwin to hand over the cigarette packet. She then took one, lit it and inhaling again. "It does calm the nerves." She whispered, giving the packet back to Erwin, before blowing the smoke out slowly. "I'm going to go get some rest now." She saluted to Erwin and Karla. "Bye."

"Bye Leutnant." Karla replied, smiling as she watched Maho walk back towards her Tiger and climb into it.

"I like Maho. She's cold and harsh, but she can also be really kind hearted and considerate." Karla whispered to Erwin.

Erwin nodded. "I know. It's grown to become part of her character. But I have to admit, Maho does handle being a female officer quite well. Female officers are still quite a rarity." She explained. "And most males… take advantage of that."

Karla nodded, whilst inhaling another breath of the cigarette. "I had the same problem when I was training to be an officer. But right now, " She smiled. "I would like to take my leave." She saluted Erwin. "Thank you for being here when I need someone to talk to." She whispered sweetly.

Erwin nodded and saluted back. "We'll be here whenever you need someone to talk to." She smiled, watching Karla disappear into her tank.

'Just over a day to go… and we'll be back on the battlefield… I can't guarantee I can bring them all back afterwards. That's what I worry the most.'

* * *

 _5_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0400 hours._

"Fire!"

The ground trembled as the 105mm and 150mm artillery guns exploded suddenly into life. Maho jumped slightly, before settling down into her chair again. She didn't feel confident, but not nervous either. She just sat there, playing with her lighter. The tank was silent. Each crew member absorbed in their own world for the time being. Erika and Felix had their Lugers out, just polishing them needlessly. Christian was trying to get some rest. Ernst had switched off the engine, and was messing with the pedals with his foot.

"Fire!"

Another loud boom echoed around the area, as the artillery volley-fired their rounds towards the Soviet lines. Soon, they were firing continuously, a loud 'boom' sounding every few seconds.

"The Soviets are going to respond with their own artillery bombardment anytime soon. Expect it to be much more intense than ours. So brace yourselves." Maho muttered, still playing with her lighter; watching the small flame leap about.

Just as she said that, their radio crackled into life. "All units, this is Hauptmann Brandt. Be ready to begin our advance at any time now. Also. Don't stick your head out of the tank. The Soviets going to start retaliating with their artillery and Katyusha rockets. So if you want to live, stay in your tank. Otherwise, good luck and God bless. Over and out."

Maho sighed, and opened the commander's hatch. Erika was the first person to see her.

"L-Leutnant? Don't go out there! It's dangerous!" She protested, trying to drag Maho back down.

Maho shook her head and stood up. "I'm just taking a look Erika, I'll be fine." She muttered. She looked round. It was still mostly dark, the early dawn sun was starting to rise, the dark blue night sky slowly dissipating into an orangey red colour. Each time a gun fired, a big flash of light illuminated the area brightly, before turning into darkness again. The horizon was hazy, and the smoke from the hundreds of artillery guns firing made it even harder to see into the distance. She got out her binoculars and looked into the horizon. All she could see were shells impacting the ground, the earth being thrown up and the echo of the explosion.

"They're not retaliating… That's weird." She whispered to herself. "They usuall-" A sudden flash in the horizon caught her attention. The flash disappeared, and almost immediately another flash erupted from next to where the previous flash was. Then another. And Another. A quiet howl filled the air. It got louder. And louder. The flashes of light began to fly closer. Maho's eyes widened and her blood froze in her veins. 'Katyusha rockets…' She thought to herself in dread. These rockets were the backbone of the Soviet artillery. Easy and cheap to make, thousands of these rockets could be attached onto the backs of trucks, and fired at the enemy in the dozens. One hit from a rocket could easily knock out a tank. Or a dozen infantry. Maho, without even realising it, tried to warn everyone, even though they were in their tanks.

"Get down!"

Time seem to slow as Maho instantly dropped back down into her Tiger and closed the commander's hatch, just as the first rockets impacted and exploded near the infantry front lines. Each explosion was deafening, even though they were relatively far from it, mounds of earth being kicked up into the air as if it was just dust. A few seconds later, the whistling of the soviet 152mm artillery shells could be heard as well as the howl of the Katyushas. Maho was slightly pale, and shaking.

"I told you it was dangerous, Maho!" Erika muttered, turning round and holding her hand gently in an attempt to calm her down.

"I-I guess you're right. You just don't get used to them. Maho whispered, forcing a smile. "Time anyone?" She asked quietly.

"0455 hours exactly Leutnant." Erika replied quietly, as the deafening explosions rumbled around them.

The Tiger was silent for a few minutes, before Felix spoke. "I-I'm scared… Leutnant." He whispered.

Maho looked round. "Don't worry. Who else is scared or nervous?" She asked gently.

"Aye, Leutnant." Erika responded.

"I'm scared." Ernst muttered.

Maho smiled faintly. "I'm scared too." She admitted. "But now's not the time to dwell on this." She looked at her crew. "You are all brave men and women. You've come this far now. Don't let your fear drag you down. Today is a new day for us all. A day where we fight for the survival of our country. We can't let down our families at home. We've all got a job to do here, and let's do it to the best of our abilities. And don't worry. I'll try my best to protect you all and bring you back. Your lives are my responsibility." She smirked. "On this day, we will fight. To victory. Or we shall die together in a field of glory and honour, for defending our homeland. Now, the signal for us to advance when the time reaches 0500 hours. When that happens." Her smirk faded, and her expression became cold and harsh again. "Let's show these Soviet **суки** what we're made of." She muttered coldly.

Her crew nodded. "We'll fight with you Leutnant. You're our commander." Erika responded. "And I see your speeches are still as charismatic as usual." She joked.

Erwin, inside her own Tiger, looked at her watch. It was 0500 hours. "It's time." She whispered. "All units. The time has come. Let's roll out!" She spoke into her mic.

Maho nodded. "Let's go." She muttered, as the engine rumbled into life and they started moving forwards steadily through the relentless artillery barrage. Maho opened the commander's hatch and took a quick glance round. All along the front, she could see different tanks and infantry advancing forwards. A shell whistled overhead and exploded right behind her Tiger, causing Maho to duck down again. She closed the hatch quickly, just as the radio crackled again.

"This is Major Gegenheimer. B and C Company are to support the 6th Infantry division on our left flank, and A Company will support the 20th Panzer Division on our right flank. We'll employ the **Panzerkeil**. But each division will form one, got it? So we can cover a wider area to provide more firing cover."

"Aye, Major." The commander's responded.

Maho nodded silently as they drove past the infantry front line and into the wide open Russian steppe. Even now, the Soviet bombardment was relentless. Each near miss shook the tank, the showering it with earth and mud. 'But this is nothing.' She thought. 'Nothing compared to what is to come.'

'Bring on the hell.'

* * *

Notes:

 **UPDATE: Chapter 7 is now live. Enjoy~**

Thanks for all of your reviews, everyone. They really do help me know on what I need to add/improve etc.

I'm sorry for those who are anticipating more action in the last few chapters, I know I've been delving into the character development section quite a lot. It's useful, because you can get to know and empaphise with the characters more. Especially Maho. Her psychology is interesting (I think). But, since the offensive has begun. Expect tanks, shells, explosions, blood and gore.

 **Any reviews with constructive critisism would be helpful.**

 **If there are any improvements in terms of storyline, or structure of the story, don't hesistate to let me know!**

 _ **If you like what you've read, or just want to know what happens next, don't hesitate to favourite and follow!**_


	7. Chapter 7: First Contact

**Chapter 7: First Contact.**

5th July, 1943. 0550 hours.

The sun was rising gently over the Russian steppe, but the tranquillity and calmness that it had experienced for the last few months had been wiped away in the last two hours. The rumble of tanks, the shouting of orders from infantry troops and the deafening explosions of shells impacting the ground. But for now, the barrage had stopped. Maho opened the commander's hatch again, and had a look round. Their company was in a spearhead formation, her and Erwin's Tigers leading. She looked to her left. C Company was also in a panzerkiel formation, only about 200m away from them. She then looked to her right. To her surprise, A Company was there.

"Aren't you supposed to be attached to the 20th Panzer Division, Major?" Maho spoke through her mic.

"Negative, Leutnant Ketler. I was reassigned to support the 6th Infantry division at the last minute. "The 20th Panzers can manage on their own."

"I see. Glad to have you in with us, Major." Maho quickly replied, smiling faintly. She liked Manfred's rather laid-back and charismatic character. He was really similar to their previous Battalion CO, Oberstleutnant Raiter. But one part of her mind told her to get back on track. Immediately.

'Focus Maho. Focus. Don't get side-tracked so easily. Do you know what happens to people who aren't focused? They get killed. You don't want that, do you?'

Maho blinked, then took out her binoculars and scanned the horizon. She couldn't see any suspicious movement. "Shit." She muttered. "Has anyone got eyes on anything?" She asked into the mic.

"Negative, Leutnant." Erwin quickly replied. "The Soviets are sure good at their camouflage now." "Major, radio 6th Infantry. Tell them to be on the lookout for an ambush. I want them to be on high alert."

"Doing that now Hauptmann." Manfred responded quickly.

Maho gritted her teeth, scanning for any tell-tale signs of a Soviet ambush. "Everyone be prepared. They may start shooting back when you least expect it." She whispered. 'Shit. I can't see anything. The grass is perfect camouflage for them.' In her mind, she knew that something had to give sooner or later. She quickly looked behind her. Tailing them were the 6th Infantry, using the Tigers as cover. "No one can still see anything?" She asked again.

"Negative. We can't see anything. I mean, should we be seeing anything? We're only a few kilometres into their territory." One other commander responded.

"Roger that. Soviet defences vary a lot. Their camouflage is also a lot better than two years ago. So we could be walking right into one without knowing. Be on the lookout though." Erwin spoke. Maho could sense that she was unsettled. "Be ready for anything."

"Where are we supposed to attack?" Maho asked.

"We're to support the 6th Infantry's attack on Soviet positions near the Oka river towards Podoliani and the hills southeast of it. Intelligence says that they expect heavy resistance in the area, which is why we're attached to the infantry as support." Erwin spoke, fiddling with her map. About 5 minutes later, her voice crackled over the radio again. "We're nearing Podoliani now. Expect heavy resistance. This is to all units. If you see something move. Shoot it." Erwin muttered quietly.

Maho sighed and sat back down in her chair, closing the hatch. "That's if we can see anything." She muttered under her breath.

 _'Clang!'_

All the occupants in the Tiger were thrown backwards by the impact of a shell that slammed into their frontal armour, only to ricochet to the side. Maho fell back into her chair, her ears ringing slightly. "Everyone alright?" She mumbled, slightly dazed.

"Aye, Leutnant." Her crew replied.

"Orders, Leutnant?" Erika promptly asked.

"Christian, see anything move, kill it with the machine gun. Ernst, slow down the tank slightly, we don't want to go too fast. Felix, load a High Explosive round. Erika, once I've spotted the target, I'll relay the distance and you fire on my command. I'll handle radio communications. Everybody clear?" Maho stated.

"Jawohl, Leutnant!" They responded.

Another loud 'Bang!' echoed around the tank as they were hit by another anti-tank gun. From her experience, Maho knew these weren't the small 45mm guns; they were the 76mm Zis-3: they could easily knock out a Tiger at distances of 100m with a shot to the side armour. Then, the sound of rifle and machine gun fire exploded all over; bullets hitting and ricocheting, the tracer rounds flying everywhere; sparks flying as they scraped against the metal of the tank. Several bullets whizzed overhead, causing Maho to duck down momentarily.

"All units, this is Leutnant Ketler, B Company. We've made contact. I repeat. We've made contact. Strength of enemy is unknown." She spoke into the radio. Soon, there were more and more other tank commanders reporting contact: They've arrived at the first defensive line.

Felix grabbed a High explosive shell from the rack, and rammed it into the cannon breech, closing the mechanism. "Shell loaded!"

Maho opened the commander's hatch again, and peered round with her binoculars. She suddenly saw a massive puff of smoke erupted from their 2 o'clock. "Erika, Anti-tank gun at 2 o' clock! Distance, 200m."

"Target sighted!" Erika shouted back as she turned the turret to their 2 o' clock.

"Ready, fire!"

The Tiger shuddered as the powerful 88mm fired, the pressure wave from the blast still taking Maho by surprise. The round hit its mark and exploded, throwing earth and bits of the anti-tank gun everywhere.

"Target neutralised." Erika spoke calmly.

"Christian, use the machine gun to keep them pinned down." Maho instructed. She then spoke into her mic. "All Tiger units, lets light them up with the machine gun. Keep them pinned down. Engage any anti-tank target you see. I repeat. Engage any anti-tank target you see. Over." Soon, all the Tigers were letting loose with machine gun and cannon fire; their tracers flying towards the Soviets. The Soviets however, continued retaliating with their own machine gun and anti-tank gun fire, the bullets ricocheting everywhere or spitting up dust and earth.

An sudden loud 'Boom!' caused Maho to suddenly turn to her left. Her eyes widened in horror. The lead Tiger for A Company slowly shuddered to a stop, flames exploding from the engine. She saw the hatch open, and two crew members climbed out and run for cover, only to be cut down by machine gun fire from the defending Soviets. One fell off the tank, riddled with bullets whilst the other had his head partially blown off, blood and brain matter dripping down his body as he crumpled on the floor. Then the ammunition inside the tank exploded, the entire tank being engulfed in a searing orange fireball.

"Battalion CO is down! Repeat. Battalion CO is down! Major G-Gegenheimer just got killed." A panicky voice crackled over the radio.

"Fuck!" Maho shouted. "Hauptmann Brandt. You're now standing Battalion commander for the 505th." She muttered, trying hard to keep calm. "Since you're the next highest rank in the battalion. And possibly the most experienced." Once she said that she hung her head and sighed.

'That's our first casualty. How many more…?'

"A Company, engage the Anti-tank guns that hit the Major on your left flank! B and C Company will engage anything in front." Erwin instructed. She then changed frequencies to the ones used by the infantry. "6th Infantry Division. It's Hauptmann Brandt, battalion commander of the 505th. Send one regiment to support C Company, the Tigers on our left flank. The other two regiments will support B And C Company. You need to clear out the trenches for us."

"Aye, Hauptmann. You can count on us." A male voice replied.

"Target, mobile artillery spotted. 10 o'clock!" Maho shouted down to Erika. "Distance. 350m."

"Target sighted!" Erika replied.

"Fire!"

The cannon shot at the target, destroying it within a blink of the eye; the artillery piece reduced to nothing but shards of metal, and mangled bodies.

"Leutnant! The Soviets are running for it!" Erwin shouted. Maho looked round. About 200m away, she could see human figures climbing out of their trenches and starting to run towards their second line of defence; the village of Podoliani itself. At first it was a trickle, then entire squads. Soon, it was as if the entire first defensive line were retreating. "What should we do?" She asked. She would usually ask Maho for her opinion, because she knew that she could make mistakes occasionally.

Maho thought for a moment, then she knew what had to be done. "Kill them all. Fire at will." She spoke in the radio. A few seconds later, their coaxial machine guns started lighting up the area again, hundreds of bullets finding their mark, knocking over the men like skittles, never to rise again.

"They're falling back towards the defences at the village of Podoliani. We'll cut them off." Erwin ordered. "B Company, stay on course. We'll hit the village head on. C Company, perform a flanking manoeuver, to encircle the village. A Company, you are to head for the hills southwest of Podoliani, and take out the defences there. 6th Infantry. Follow our lead. One regiment to follow us to Podoliani, the other two are to attack the hills southwest of it and Butyrki with A Company. Whilst you're at it, pick off any survivors for us, got it?"

"You've got it, Hauptmann." A clear voice sounded over the radio. Erwin recognised that it was the commanding officer she spoke to yesterday morning.

Maho frowned as she looked into her binoculars at the village in the distance. "There's… two anti-tank guns being moved into positon. Erika. Targets. Two anti-tank guns. 12 o'clock. Distance, 700m."

"Target sighted." Erika replied, as she traversed the turret to 12 o'clock. "Ready to fire."

"Hit the суки." Maho muttered, and the cannon shot again, smoke rising into the air around her. Through her binoculars, she could see a clear explosion, but couldn't make out whether the targets were destroyed. "Status, Erika."

"One anti-tank gun destroyed. Second anti-tank gun severely damaged. No visible survivors." Erika spoke.

"Good shot." Maho replied, just as Erwin's voice was heard through the radio again.

"Okay. I've instructed the infantry regiment to advance. We'll be there support. If there is a target that needs taking out. We'll do it for them. C Company has begun their flanking maneuverer. B Company, we are to advance slowly, trailing behind the infantry as they advance. If you see any potential targets, shoot it."

"Aye, Hauptmann." Maho replied. "Ernst. Slow us down to around 5km/h."

"Doing that now, Leutnant." He responded promptly, as the Tiger slowed down to almost a crawling speed.

Maho scanned the village, looking for potential targets. The infantry were well ahead by now, and she could hear gunshots, and automatic weapons firing. Suddenly, a shell whistled over and exploded about 300m ahead of them. The explosion caused one man to fly into the air, and he hit the ground with a thud. Soon, there were desperate cries of "Medic!" filling the air.

"Where did that shot come from!" Erwin shouted into the radio. "Anyone got eyes on the artillery?"

"Negative, Hauptmann!" Several commanders spoke.

"Shit. We need to neutralise it quickly!" Erwin shouted again. In her mind, she knew that as soon as the artillery were firing at infantry, the soldiers would be sitting ducks. And the attack could fail.

Maho desperately scanned the village. A gleam of light caught her eye. She turned to the source. Inside a barn, there was a towed artillery piece. "Erika! Target the artillery gun. 10 o'clock inside the barn. Distance, 675m. One round. High Explosive."

"Shell's loaded!" Felix shouted, as he rammed the fresh round into the cannon breech and closing the locking mechanism, whilst Erika traversed the turret to 10 o'clock.

"Target sighted!" She shouted back to Maho.

"Wait on my command…" Maho muttered. "Fire."

A small ball of fire and smoke exploded from the cannon's muzzle brake, as the round shot out of the barrel, hurtling towards the target at supersonic speeds.

"Target destroyed." Erika promptly responded, as an explosion engulfed the entire barn.

"Good shot. Now, let's move forward and give the lads some covering fire." Erwin instructed. "Let's go!"

"You heard Erwin, let's go." Maho spoke, as Ernst accelerated the tank to around half speed. A few minutes later, a frantic voice broke through on the radio.

"Requesting firing cover on the house with the caved in roof. There is a sniper and machine gunner pinning our squad down. Repeat, requesting fire on the house with the caved in roof. They've taken down about half our squad!"

"Roger that. Engaging now." Erwin swiftly responded. "Leutnant. I trust you to take it out."

"Trust Erika. Not me." Maho muttered back, scanning for the target. "Erika, target sighted. One sniper and one machine gunner on the caved in roof. Target is at 11 o'clock. Distance, 420m. One male and one…" Her eyes widened. "Female child…" She whispered.

"Target sighted!" Erika shouted back. "Shall I engage?"

Maho sighed, torn what to do. The female child looked no younger than 15.

'I can't kill a child… even if they are killing our soldiers. But she is only doing what she has to do: defend her homeland. But it's a child. I can't harm her.' She thought to herself. 'But it's war. I have to do it. Otherwise more of the men will die. I'm going to regret it, but. I have to do it. For the greater good…'

"Leutnant. Shall I engage?" Erika asked again.

Maho took a deep breath, and cast one last quick glance at the girl. She'd just fired, and was reloading her weapon as fast as she could. "Fire." She whispered. The entire tank shook as the cannon fired, and soon there was another explosion, reducing the entire house to rubble.

"Target destroyed." Whispered Erika. At last moment, she saw the female child as well, and was visibly shaken. "I'm sorry…" she mouthed.

"Good shooting! You saved us back there." The male voice quickly replied a few moments later. "And good news. The other Tiger company taken out the remaining defences, and the remaining Soviet scum are surrendering. We're contacting HQ now to tell them Podoliani is in German hands."

Maho blinked in surprise. "Roger that. We've taken it." She sighed with relief. Erwin broke in suddenly through the radio.

"A Company has also reported the success of taking the hills and Butyrki. We've reported to HQ that this entire area is ours, and that the entire 15th infantry division has collapsed. No wonder. We were only going against an infantry division. HQ has radioed in that we are to hold our positions for the day. We've done well. HQ says that A Company will hold their positions near the hills and the infantry regiment will hold Butyrki. B and C Company, continue onto Podoliani. We'll rest there. Good work."

* * *

As they rolled into the village, it bore the obvious scars of the skirmish that had happened; shell craters, destroyed equipment, burning buildings and corpses littered the area. Maho stopped her Tiger alongside Erwin's, then climbed out. Her crew followed suit.

"All in a day's work, eh? Leutnant?" Erwin spoke from behind. "Minimal casualties…" Her face fell. "Apart from Major Gegenheimer…" She whispered.

Maho nodded, then walked towards the huddle of Soviet prisoners that were sitting down on the ground, guarded by several soldiers. She inspected each one. Most were male conscripts. But her eye fell on a pair of female soldiers, who looked startlingly similar. They didn't look even eighteen years old. Sixteen at the most. She blinked. They were sisters. One was shaking badly, the other trying to comfort her sibling. She sighed. "Make sure the two sisters are treated well." She muttered to a soldier, who reluctantly nodded. She then carried on looking. Two stood out, due to their shoulder straps. One was a Sergeant Major, and the other was a Warrant Officer. "What are to become of these prisoners?" She asked one of the soldiers.

"They'll be transported to the POW camp in Germany. That's all I know." He replied slowly.

Maho gritted her teeth then walked over to the Warrant Officer. "Not him." She pointed at the man. She grabbed him and dragged him upright. "I'll question him."

Erwin walked over. "What are you doing, Leutnant?" She asked.

"Avenging Major Gegenheimer." She muttered, silencing his desperate cries temporarily by punching him hard in the jaw. His lip started bleeding. Maho then dragged him behind a ruined house, and threw him onto the floor.

"Maho. Stand down!" Erwin shouted, walking over and pulling Maho back.

"Why should I, Erwin? Tell me. You want his death not to be avenged?!" Maho shouted, slowly losing control of her emotions. She stamped on the man's chest, forcing him back down onto the floor, before pulling out her Luger from its holster and aiming it at the man's head.

Erwin sighed, and shook her head. "Fine. Just do it. But I won't be held responsible if any trouble comes up." She muttered.

Maho nodded, then steadied her aim. "This is for Major Gegenheimer." She muttered darkly, before firing two shots into the man's body. The man writhed for a few seconds, before going still. She then turned round to Erwin. "Speaking about him, get Karla and Erika for me. I'm going to bury him and his crew. We need to pay our respects to him. Since no one will collect the body these days…"

Erwin nodded slowly. "On his note," She pointed to the corpse. "We could've gotten useful information out of him."

"Well. The Wehrmacht has one less prisoner to worry about now." Maho mumbled bitterly, stowing her Luger back into its holster and walking back towards her Tiger. "Ernst, Christian. Make sure we have full fuel for any operations that we may need to undertake. And resupply the coaxial machine gun ammo if you need to." She then looked at Erika. "Can you come with me? And you too Karla." She added when Karla came into her view. "Erwin and I are going to bury Major Gegenheimer." Seeing both nod, she smiled faintly.

"We need a shovel, if we are to bury him." Erwin quietly added, walking towards them with a large shovel held in both her arms. "We need to go. HQ may radio in with fresh orders at any time. We have to go quickly."

* * *

 _5_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0800 hours._

They ran as fast as they could towards the site where Manfred's Tiger stood. When they arrived, only then they could see the full extent of the carnage. The tank was fully burnt, and the engine was still in flames. They looked round the wreckage. On the left side of the hull, there was a small hole punched into the side armour.

"So that's where the shell entered, and since there's no exit hole, the shell must've totally fragmented inside." Karla whispered. "I'd hate to see what's inside."

Erwin nodded, and began digging a large hole next to the tank. Maho walked a few meters, then stumbled across two bodies. "I found them." She muttered. Two men were sprawled across the grass. One was riddled with bullets. The other had his face partially blown off. He had dark blonde hair, which was now spattered with blood. The smell and sight caused Maho to look away for a moment. Karla walked over, took one look and gagged slightly. "Can you help me lift them, Karla?" Maho asked quietly. Karla nodded slowly.

"Certainly, Leutnant." She whispered.

Maho slowly lifted what remained of Manfred's head and upper torso, whilst Karla lifted his legs. He was surprisingly light; they easily lifted him and gently put him down next to the rather large grave Erwin had dug. The then did the same to the other crew member. By now, Erika had managed to retrieve the three men stuck inside the tank, with some help with Erwin. All five crew members were now lying on the grass.

Erwin slowly bent down and took Manfred's dog tag, ripping the half off and then stowing it in her pocket; doing the same for the rest of the crew members. She then nodded to Karla and Erika. They both picked up Manfred's body and gently lowered him into the grave. They then continued with the rest of the bodies. Soon, all 5 crew members were lying in the grave peacefully.

Maho nodded, and they all stood together in a line, and stood to attention.

"Major Gegenheimer, and his four crewmembers died fighting honourably fighting for the Reich. May their souls find peace and tranquillity in the afterlife." Erwin spoke softly. "Sieg heil!" All of them instantly stood at attention again and performed the Nazi salute, before Maho stepped forwards and started filling the hole with the earth Erwin had dug up. Soon, all that remained was a small mound of earth, which marked the spot of the grave. Karla had found a small flower, and knelt down, placing the flower on the mound.

"Let's get back." Maho spoke, and they all nodded.

* * *

When they got back, they were instantly greeted by the company commander which they'd had an argument with yesterday. Maho sighed and walked towards her Tiger, hoping that will prevent her making any awkward conversations with him. The man looked at Erwin with a smile and shook her hand.

"On behalf of my platoon, I thank you for taking out that sniper and machine gun nest, Hauptmann. You really saved our backsides there. Even though quite a lot of my men were injured." He spoke.

Erwin smiled. "Glad to be of help, Feldwebel. Your platoon did well as well." She looked at Maho. "If you will excuse me, I'm in desperate need for some coffee." She smirked.

"Of course Hauptmann." The man smiled, and saluted, before walking off to join his comrades.

Erwin sighed with relief. "At least we've even now…" She muttered to herself before walking towards Maho's tank. There, Maho, Karla, Erika and the rest of the tank crew were having some breakfast; some rough bread and more canned chicken. Maho was holding her mandatory cup of coffee that Erika had freshly made for her, and Karla was slowly eating some of the canned chicken with a fork.

"Join us, Hauptmann." She spoke rather cheerfully, as another male tank crew member walked over and handed Erwin some bread and a cup of coffee.

"You're breakfast, Hauptmann. The usual." He whispered, before walking away back to his group of male tank crewmen, who were all smoking cigarettes next to a ruined building.

Erwin took the bread and ate a piece, before washing it down with her coffee. "Well. Seems like we've achieved all of our objectives for now. We just need to keep a watch for any counterattacks that may happen throughout the day." She stated.

Maho took a sip of her coffee, then looked at Erwin. "What's going to happen tomorrow?"

Erwin shrugged, finishing off the last piece of bread. "I don't know. Apparently we'll be attached to the 2nd Panzer Division. Or something like that. We may still be attached to the 6th infantry for all I kno-"

She was interrupted by a rather young soldier running over. Clearly, he was rather worried. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Hauptmann. But we've just received a very important message from HQ." Seeing Erwin and Maho nod, he continued. "HQ has just told us that observation aircraft flying overhead has spotted two Soviet tank brigades heading towards Podoliani. They're planning to take it back with an armoured assault. Strength of the tank brigades is around 120 tanks, plus anti-tank units and motorised rifle division. And they'll have their reconnaissance units too. Last known position is 30km from here. They'll be here within one hour. Two hours at the most. They plan a full scale counterattack."

Erwin, Maho and the rest of them listened in stunned silence. "Two… " Maho began.

"Tank brigades…?" Karla whispered in shock.

"Advancing for a counterattack, now?" Erwin added quietly.

Seeing the man nod, Maho hung her head.

"Shit…"

* * *

Notes:

 **UPDATE: CHAPTER 8 WAS WRITTEN IN RECORD TIME. IT IS NOW LIVE.**

Forward machine gun = Coaxial machine gun. Just if some people got a little confused for me using both terms.

Any reviews with constructive critisism will be welcome.

 **If there are any improvements in terms of storyline, or structure of the story, don't hesistate to let me know!**

 **If you enjoyed reading this chapter, and want to know what's going to happen next, or just like the material I write, don't hesistate to favourite and follow! It also helps me know that you enjoy what I write!**


	8. Chapter 8: Blood and Steel collide

**Chapter 8: Blood and Steel collide.**

5th July, 1943. 0900 hours.

"So much for 'all in a day's work' Erwin…" Maho muttered, downing the rest of her coffee quickly, watching Karla climb down and run back to her Tiger, before climbing up onto the turret and dropping into her commander's chair, putting on her headphones and throat mic again. "Radio check. Everyone can hear me?" She asked as Erika and the rest of her crew quickly climbed inside.

"Loud and clear." Erwin replied. "Right. B and C Company, listen up. We're to stop the counterattack at all costs. We, and one regiment of the 6th Infantry will be setting up a makeshift defensive line around 8 miles from the village. I want us to get there as fast as possible, and find an ambush point. The infantry regiment is mostly for support, but they'll be good in helping us out anyhow. Alright. Let's move out!"

"Jawohl Hauptmann!"

Maho's Tiger shuddered as the engine rumbled into life, and began steadily moving out into the Russian steppe quickly. Maho opened the commander's hatch and looked behind her. The infantry regiment were quickly setting off, jumping into their personnel trucks and the occasional half-tracks.

"How did they know we've taken the village so quickly?" Karla asked over the radio.

"They must've been the strategic reserves for this part of the front." Maho answered quietly. "Once their command knew that the 15th Infantry division had collapsed, they would naturally send in their reserves to plug the gap made in the line."

The Tigers spread out into a single line formation, with the infantry trailing close by behind them. Maho looked through her binoculars for any tell-tale sign of enemy tanks: dust being thrown up on the horizon. "No sight of them yet." Maho spoke. "But keep an eye on the horizon. If there is any smoke or dust rising on the horizon, it has to be them." She frowned and gritted her teeth. "We can't afford them to slip by us and attack the village."

"Aye, Leutnant."

About 10 minutes passed with no sign of the enemy. Maho was growing increasingly nervous; every minute that passed and the Soviets would be a minute closer to reaching Podoliani. And since only one infantry regiment was holding it; the arrival of two Soviet tank brigades and an infantry regiment would be a total massacre. And soon enough, another problem soon arose.

"Hauptmann! Two of C Company's Tiger report they're running low on fuel!" A voice crackled in the radio.

"What?! Did they not get a chance to refuel?" Erwin shouted in reply.

"Aye Hauptmann. They only started refuelling when we had to set off." The voice spoke slowly. Erwin sighed.

"Dammit. Okay. Tell them to cut their speed. If they do start to run low, they can withdraw back to Podoliani." She muttered.

Maho sighed, looking into the field with her binoculars. She suddenly spotted movement in the dense grass. "Christian! Target directly in front of us! Hit it with the coaxial machine gun!" She screamed.

The coaxial machine gun burst into life, lighting up the spot Maho told to shoot at with tracer rounds. Two men stood up, only to be nearly cut in half by the hail of bullets; both bodies crumpling to the ground.

"All units, Halt! Halt! Halt! I repeat, All units Halt!" Erwin shouted into the mic, as all the tanks screeched to a stop.

Once the tank had stopped, Maho grabbed her StG 44, and loaded a magazine in; for safety. She then slowly stood up on the turret and jumped down, heading towards the spot where the two men were. She held her assault rifle aloft, ready to shoot if anything moved.

"Leutnant… What are you doing?" Erwin began, but was silenced by Maho who turned round and put a finger to her lips. She was a few meters away from the two bodies when a man suddenly rose up from the grass; his rifle aimed at Maho. Maho blinked, and instantly pressed the trigger. Several bullets found its mark, and the man fell to his knees; red spreading across his front.

" **фашистского зверя** …" The man whispered, before he was ended with a shot to the head. Maho walked over, and inspected his uniform, before walking back towards the tank.

"These men are from the reconnaissance unit. It means the main forces are not far behind. We should be able to catch them." She muttered, climbing back into her tank.

"Okay. Let's move then." Erwin replied, and the Tiger's and infantry soon resumed their advance.

Another 10 minutes passed, still nothing. Erwin was becoming edgy too, the same for all of the commanders. 'They have to show up soon enough. They have to.' She thought.

"I've got something!" Karla shouted out suddenly. "There are dust trails heading towards us! I'm guessing they're 4 to 5 miles ahead! They're directly at us!"

Erwin grinned. "Finally. Okay. All units, listen up! There are quite a lot of bushes around 500m, at our 10 o'clock. It gives us excellent coverage of this road and the empty grassland next to it, as well as perfect camouflage. C Company, you take that position, B Company will go and use the tall grass in this field here to wait. Right. 1st Platoon, so Leutnant Ketler and Oberfeldwebel Brun. You are with me. 2nd and 3rd platoon space yourselves out in the small bushes in the field at your 3 o'clock. We'll be right in front of them, whilst C Company will hit their flank." Erwin grinned. "They'll be hit on two sides. They won't even know what hit them." She then radioed the regiment accompanying them. "Is it possible for you to set up a mortar team. We need to get rid of their infantry regiment and provide firing support. So I want your squads up where C Company is, on the left side. I want the machine gun and infantry there. Keep the mortar teams where we are. Clear?"

"Aye, Hauptmann." They all replied.

"Good. Let's move out! We've haven't got a moment to lose."

* * *

 _5_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0950 hours._

Soon, all of the tanks and men were in position for the ambush. Now it was just waiting for the ambush to be sprung. Maho was nervously tapping the top of the turret with her right hand, whilst holding a pair of binoculars to her eyes with the other. "They're closing in… around approximately 2 miles." She muttered. "When should we engage?"

Erwin paused for a minute, then spoke. "Engage at around 800m, then drive out to force them back. Clear?"

"Aye, Hauptmann." They all replied.

"Good. Now… we wait." She whispered.

For a short while they waited, the tension in the air was palpable. Everyone was silent. They could even hear the birds tweeting in the trees. "Everyone load an Amour Piercing round." Maho whispered, breaking the silence momentarily. "Be ready…"

"Shell loaded." Felix whispered back, closing the locking mechanism as quietly as he could.

Maho looked around, watching the dust trail get bigger and bigger. Soon, the top of the tanks could be seen. Then the entire chassis of the tank, and the infantry keeping close by to them as cover. "They're not in a convoy. They're arriving on-masse. Can everyone see them?" She asked, continuing when both B and C Company stated they could see the tanks clearly. "At least 100 T-34s sighted. All units, pick a target and track them. Don't fire." She stated quietly, as Erika traversed the turret to track one of the T-34s. "Wait on my command. On the count of three. One…"

"Distance, 1000m and closing." Karla whispered.

"Hold your fire…" Erwin ordered. "Not yet…"

"Two…"

"Distance, 900m and closing." Karla whispered again.

Erika gritted her teeth and her hand closed around the massive trigger. "Come-on… Come-on…" She whispered.

"Hold it…" Erwin whispered.

"Distance, 800m." Karla stated. "Shall I engage."

Erwin smirked. "All units! Fire at will!" She shouted.

The sudden calmness of the area was suddenly blown away by a volley of explosions, smoke, and small arms fire. Each Tiger shot, and their deadly shells found their mark. One shell entered through the turret, and instantly detonated the ammo, causing a massive fireball to erupt in the tank, blowing the turret clean off. Other shots entered through the hull, the shrapnel slicing and cutting up the inhabitants inside. The coaxial machine guns chattered away, cutting down the infantry trying to take cover. All around the field, there were tanks burning, men crumpling to the ground, and corpses littered everywhere. The remaining infantrymen instantly started returning fire wildly, whilst the T-34s shot blindly at their positions. Explosions erupted around the Soviet infantry as mortar shells landed on their positions, the shrapnel and explosion cutting troops down horrifically. The screams of pain from injured men could be heard from where Maho was.

Erika targeted another T-34, and fired; the round entering through the front. The tank shuddered to a halt, and the commander's hatch opened. A man dragged himself out, only to be nearly decapitated by a machine gun burst by Christian. A second man toppled out of the front hatch, missing an arm and part of his face. He fell on the floor screaming in agony, just as a bullet hit him and silenced him forever.

"Let's go! Forward! Fire at anything that moves!" Maho shouted into the radio, and they started advancing at the once strong tank brigades. But the remaining T-34s had regrouped, and were now laying down an impressive fire as they advanced towards them. Tank shells whizzed overhead, and one hit the turret but shattered, shrapnel flying towards Maho. She ducked down, but felt a searing hotness across the side of her head, then a pulsing pain shot through that side of her head. "Shit!" She screamed, her hand going to touch her wound. It was bleeding slightly, but not a lot.

"You okay Leutnant?!" Erika shouted, turning round to see Maho have blood dribbling down her head.

"I'm fine Erika! Just carry on firing! We've got a T-34 attempting to flank us! At your 3 o'clock!" Maho shouted, ignoring the cut on her head for the time being; she had more important matters to look out for right now.

Erika traversed the turret as fast as she could. "Target sighted!"

"Fire!"

The cannon fired, and the shell flew towards its target. Moments later, it impacted, shredding a massive hole in the hull. A massive fireball erupted as the turret was blown clean off; the once proud looking T-34 now nothing but a smouldering heap of burning metal.

Maho looked round. There was a group of soldiers frantically trying to set up an anti-tank gun. "Erika. Anti-tank gun on your 3 o'clock. Distance. Less than 100m. Felix. High Explosive shell, now!"

Felix grabbed a High Explosive shell and rammed it into the cannon breech. "Shell loaded!"

Erika traversed the turret and saw them. "Target sighted!"

"Fire!"

The shell hit the anti-tank gun, causing a massive explosion. Once the smoke cleared, all that was left was broken body parts and scrap metal from what was the anti-tank gun.

"Target destroyed." Erika stated.

As the Tiger tanks slowly advanced, they were continually getting hit by tank shells, but most just ricocheted or shattered on impact; the frontal armour was holding up quite well. But they had a problem.  
"We've got some soldiers running towards the tank! They've got Anti-tank grenades." One voice shouted into the radio. Seconds later, they could hear an explosion. "Shit! That was close! But they got our tracks! We're stuck!"

Erwin swore under her breath. "Cut the infantry down! Make sure they don't have a chance to get close!" She shouted into her mic.

Soon, the coaxial machine guns on most of the Tigers were firing away, cutting down any soldiers that got close. But Maho didn't notice two sneak up to the side of her tank. One climbed up to the turret, with a grenade held aloft in his hand. Maho didn't realise his presence till she saw the man's boots in the corner of her eye.

" **Для Советской России!** " The man shouted, and threw the grenade at Maho.

* * *

Time seemed to slow as Maho reached out and grabbed the falling grenade, but fumbled with it for a millisecond. But she held it tightly before throwing it away as far as she could. As the grenade exploded meters away from the tank, the man raised his submachine gun to shoot, Maho swiftly took out her Luger and shot the man in the chest. He toppled over and fell off the tank. She smirked, but her eyes widened in horror as she saw the second man raise his rifle directly at her. She saw the flash of the muzzle as he pressed the trigger.

She ducked down as quickly as she could; but she felt an intense, agonising pain suddenly explode in her left shoulder. She screamed in pain, and through the rush of it all, managed to empty the remaining bullets in her Luger on the second man, who fell to the floor, never to rise again. "Fuck…" She whispered, her breathing speeding up as she put her right hand onto her wounded shoulder. When she looked at her hand, it was covered in blood. Everything was playing in slow motion, her hearing was distorted; everything echoed several times. Through her tears, she could see Erika instantly turn round and grab the first aid kit that was stowed on the ammo rack.

"Leutnant Ketler has been wounded. I repeat, Leutnant Ketler has been wounded." She could barely hear Christian shout into the radio, let alone Erwin's response a few moments later.

A few seconds passed, and everything began to speed back up again, the sounds of the battle resumed again. The loud explosions and gunfire was deafening. Maho weakly closed the commander's hatch as Erika took one side of Maho's jacket and shirt off to put pressure on the wound, stopping the bleeding.

"How bad is it?" Maho mumbled.

Erika forced a smile, and produced a sterilised dressing and bandage. "It isn't that bad Leutnant. The bullet just grazed your shoulder. This might hurt a bit. " Maho gritted her teeth in pain as she put the dressing on the wound, then wrapped a bandage on her shoulder. "All done."

Maho smiled slightly. "Thanks Erika." She opened the commander's hatch and looked again. The field was now just carnage. Dozens of destroyed T-34s littered the empty grassland, and corpses lay everywhere. The fighting was still going on, but as each minute passed, more and more T-34s were getting destroyed. But they'd inflicted a good amount of damage on their own Tigers, with reports coming in about tanks being immobilized, or engines being damaged. One had their turret drive jammed by a shell that hit their turret ring, but shattered on impact.

"Leutnant! Tank coming at your right flank!" Erwin screamed into the radio. Maho turned to her left. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw the T-34 close in, it's gun baring down on the Tiger's relatively thin side amour. Even in the condition she was in, she had to take charge and destroy the tank. Otherwise they could be the ones getting killed.

"Ernst! Traverse the tank left! Now!" She screamed into her mic. The Tiger lurched to the left as Ernst traversed the tank as hard as he could. "Erika, target at 9 o'clock. Once you see him, shoot him!"

"Aye Leutnant!" Erika shouted back, seeing the T-34 in her sights, but could barely line it in her gun sights, because at the tight angle the tank was turning at. "Target sighted!"

"Hit him! Hit him now!" Maho yelled desperately.

Erika pressed the trigger and the cannon fired, but she missed by a mere inch. "Shit!"

The T-34 fired, the shell impacting the side armour but ricocheted off towards Maho, who instinctively ducked down when the tank fired. "Hit him again! We've got to outrun his gun!"

"Shell loaded!" Felix shouted. "Erika, hit the bastard!"

"I'm trying I'm trying!" Erika replied frantically, traversing as the turret as quickly as she could. "Target sighted!"

"Shoot him!" Maho shouted again.

The tank shuddered again as the cannon shot, only to ricochet of the top of the engine block.

"Dammit! I missed again!" Erika shouted.

"We're gonna be the next ones dead at this rate!" Christian shouted, as Felix rammed the next round into the cannon breech.

"Shell loaded!" Felix shouted again. "Come-on, Erika!"

"Ernst, on my mark, reverse when I tell you to!" Maho commanded.

"Aye Leutnant!" He replied.

The T-34 shot again, but the round ricocheted off the turret, sending sparks and bits of metal flying.

"Shit!" Maho ducked down just in time, before standing back up again. "Shoot him when I tell you to, Erika!" She yelled.

"Aye Leutnant!" Erika shouted back. The Tiger had traversed again so it was just in front of the T-34, it's side armour in full view. "Target sighted!"

"Ernst, now!" Maho screamed.

Ernst reversed the Tiger with all his might. The tank stopped, then began to reverse steadily. Soon, they were about 4m away from the T-34.

"Erika! Hit him!" She commanded.

"Shoot the bastard!" Felix cried.

Erika traversed the turret a few inches to the left then fired. The T-34 also fired. Smoke from both shots obscuring the aftermath. A fireball erupted through the smoke and sparks flew off the Tiger's turret. "Did I get him?" She asked quietly.

"Yes." Maho replied, breathing a massive sigh of relief.

As the smoke cleared, a burning T-34 wreck was clearly seen. One man climbed through the commander's hatch, and jumped down, and put his arms up, and began walking towards their Tiger.

"What should we do?" Erika muttered. "We could always interrogate him."

Maho's hand was slowly sliding towards her holster again, but this time, she stopped herself. She thought for a moment, then decided on what to do. "Hauptmann, we've got a Soviet tank crewman surrendering. We're taking him in for questioning. Is that okay?"

"That's okay Leutnant. In fact, some infantry are picking him up to transport him back to HQ." Erwin replied.

Maho looked over and saw several troops escorting him under armed guard. She then suddenly realised that everyone had stopped firing. "Have we destroyed them all?" She muttered quietly. She looked across the field. For hundreds of meters, there were the remains of dozens of T-34s lay destroyed or burning, some with the burnt out corpses of their occupants. On the grass lay loads of corpses of soldiers, Soviet and German alike.

"No, Leutnant. The rest are withdrawing. They've suffered too heavy casualties to continue the attack."

"Overall casualty report, Hauptmann?" Maho questioned.

"5 Tigers from our company suffered track damage, 2 are immobilised. Recovery vehicles are on their way. 3 other Tigers have various damage from shells hitting optics, engines and so on. Otherwise, 8 Tigers are damaged from our company. C Company has 2 Tigers damaged due to near misses on the engine block. The infantry regiment suffered rather light casualties. 60 men killed, about 200 wounded." Erwin stated. "Could have gone better, but those two tank brigades sure had a very bad day."

"Make that nine Tigers from our company damaged." Erika muttered. "The last shell that hit us has damaged the turret traversing system. It's really hard to traverse it electronically. I have to hand crank it…"

"Don't worry Erika. We'll work on it once we get back. And nice work against that T-34 back there, Leutnant." Erwin spoke.

There was tense silence in Maho's tank, then her crew started laughing.

"That was probably the closest encounter to death we've been!" Felix joked. "I thought we were going to die after we missed the second time! Thanks to you Erika, we could've been killed!"

"Don't blame me! I was under pressure!" Erika retorted playfully. "I would like to see you to have done better!"

Maho couldn't help but smile as she watched her crew bicker about, letting off the tension they were in a few minutes ago. Moments later, Erwin's voice crackled over the radio again.

"Leutnant, are you okay? I heard you had a bullet wound." Erwin asked, rather concerned for her friend.

Maho smiled and nodded, before replying. "The bullet grazed my shoulder, Hauptmann. Erika put a temporary dressing and bandage on it. We just need to change the dressing and bandage when we get back."

"Alright. That's good to hear." Erwin smiled. "All units, let's get back to Podoliani. I've radioed HQ that the counterattack has been repulsed. Orders again are to hold our positions at the village of Podoliani. We've done enough work for the day. Let's get back, get some food and repairs done."

"Aye Hauptmann!" They all responded, as they slowly reversed course and began driving back to Podoliani.

"Hauptmann. Good work back there." A voice sounded over Erwin's mic again. It was the commander again. "You did well against those T-34s."

"And your men did well too." Erwin replied, smiling. "They did a fine job stopping the Soviets planting anti-tank grenades under our Tigers."

"Ah. That was nothing. I had to repay your company for saving us against that machine gun nest and sniper." He stated. "Anyways, I'll meet you back at the village."

Erwin nodded. "Of course."

* * *

 _5_ _th_ _July, 1943. 1200 hours._

When they finally arrived back in the village, Maho was exhausted. She stopped her Tiger next to Erwin's and sighed. Events of that day replayed in her eyes; the man stumbling around with a missing arm and partially destroyed face. The burnt remains of crewmembers that couldn't get out of their tanks in time. She knew all those memories will stay in her mind. She then thought about her promise to Miho.

'Can I really commit such a promise?' She thought. 'I just don't want her to worry about me.' Another part of her mind responded.

'Of course you can't. You nearly died then. Shows how close you are to death, Maho. Just admit it to her. You won't be coming back. You're going to die here.'

She shook her head to clear the thoughts, then climbed out through the commander's hatch and onto the turret. Surprisingly, Erika was waiting for her; she was standing on the turret.

"Do you need some help getting down, Leutnant?" She asked. "Due to your wound." She jumped down onto the ground and held her arm up for Maho to grab onto. Maho smiled and grabbed onto Erika's hand, and carefully jumped down.

"Thanks, Erika." She spoke quietly, before walking off to meet Erwin, who was standing beside Karla's tank, smoking a cigarette. Karla was sitting on the turret, eating some of the bread they'd received as rations.

"Nice work you did back there, Maho." Erwin spoke between breaths, before handing a cigarette to Maho, who quickly took it.

"It was all Erika's work. Don't praise me. Praise her." She muttered, lighting the cigarette with her lighter, before taking in a deep breath, exhaling the smoke moments later.

"You're really humble, aren't you? You don't take praise when you deserve it, and give it to others who've also worked equally as hard for you." Erwin questioned slowly.

Maho inhaled deeply, and exhaled the smoke before answering. "It's my nature to be humble. It was how I was brought up. I feel that my achievements wouldn't have been achieved without significant contribution from others. In this case, Erika did most of the work. She was the one who destroyed the tank. I only gave orders."

"Still. You don't always have to be so harsh on yourself…" Erwin began, but her attention was taken elsewhere. "Oh. Looks like Erika wants us to have some lunch with them." She threw her cigarette onto the floor and stubbed it out with her foot. "You coming, Karla?" She asked, as they waited for her to respond.

Karla smiled, standing up and jumping down from the turret to the ground, still holding her bread and now also a tinned beef can and fork with her other hand. Walking towards Maho and Erwin, she smiled cutely, before she responded and walked with them towards the little group that was standing around Maho's tank, eating their lunch.

"Of course, Hauptmann."

* * *

Notes:

Oh well. Forget about what I've said in the last chapter about writing Chapter 8 over the holidays. Because that's done now. **BUT,** I won't be able to write Chapter 9 as quickly like this time, because I'll be on holiday from this Sunday till... roughly the end of August. So. Until then, I'll try and write bits and pieces of chapter 9 here and now, but don't expect an official update for now. We'll see... :D

 **UPDATE: CHAPTER 9 IS LIVE.**

I hope you like the depiction of the tank battle. If you didn't, please tell me in a review on how I can structure battles better. That will always been useful.

 **As always, any reviews with constructive critisism would be welcome.**

 **If you've enjoyed what you've read, and want to know what happens next, or if you're just interested in my writing, don't hesitate to favourite and follow! It also helps me know what I'm writing you find enjoyable.**

 **Anyways, it's time for me to put fanfiction writing into a locker (metaphorically) for now, and hopefully have a relaxing holiday! Thank you for those who have followed and favourited the story, I hope you've enjoyed the story so far, and till then, _see ya and have a good day!_**

 **Poiii~~**


	9. Chapter 9: Fire, Smoke and Carnage

**Chapter 9:** **Fire, Smoke and Carnage** **.**

6th July, 1943. 0100 hours.

The night rumbled with the sound of war. Explosions could be heard far away in the distance, and flashes of light from exploding shells could be seen from the horizon. Eerie sounds of gunfire could also be heard. However, their sector was quiet that night. Maho was sitting on top of the turret; unable to get any rest. She turned round and looked into the Tiger. Her crew were resting; Erika was curled up in her chair, like a cat. Ernst and Christian were both reading, and Felix was leaning back in his chair, attempting to sleep.

'They look so calm. So… peaceful.' She thought to herself. 'But I guess they don't have the pressure of responsibility upon their shoulders.' She paused for a moment. 'But… they do have a responsibility, I guess. To stay alive and come back to their families after the war.' She smiled faintly at the thought. 'Maho, stop putting yourself down all the time. Even though you're always weighed down by worries and thoughts, just think about this; you, Erika, Ernst, Christian and Felix have been together for a long time. They all have their worries. It's natural to have these worries in your head. They all have their promises to other people; whether it's to come home after the war, or to meet their loved ones again; they all have promises they are trying to keep. It's not just you. They are all trying their best to survive this war to fulfil their promises. You are too. You promised Miho you won't be killed. '

'Can you keep such a promise though?' Another voice replied in the back of her head. 'You do worry too much Maho. I'll be honest. But however much you strive to keep your promise to Miho, and to keep your crew alive; your efforts are futile.'

'Oh? Really?' She replied to the voice.

'Yes. Think about it logically, Maho. The war on this front is lost. You said it yourself. Take for example; Stalingrad. The entire 6th Army was encircled and captured. All those soldiers had promises to try and fulfil. Yet they were captured; all their promises destroyed. Isn't that saying something, Maho? Can you do better than those in the 6th Army?'

Maho sighed and shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She then looked round to her left. Karla was climbing down from her Tiger; jumping down from the turret onto the ground. She stood up and stretched, before looking at Maho, and walking up to her Tiger and climbing up to the turret to join her.

"Can't sleep, Leutnant?" Karla asked quietly. Maho nodded sadly.

"Yeah. The nightmares keep me up every night. It's hard for me to get to sleep. What about you Karla?" She asked. "Why are you awake right now?"

Karla sighed. "I keep on having the same nightmares every night. I can barely sleep. Just like you." She gently rested her head on Maho's shoulder, and Maho put an arm round her.

"What kind of nightmares?" Maho asked quietly.

"The first nightmare is the one when my twin sister was killed. It just replays over and over in my mind. The second one…" Karla sighed. "The second one is worse. Much worse."

Maho shuffled closer to her. "In what way?"

Karla shook her head. "We were in Berlin. I could tell because we were next to the Brandenburg Gate. I mean you, Hauptmann Brandt and me. All three of us were kneeling down; being restrained by some SS men. It all happened so quickly…" She whispered, nuzzling cutely into Maho's shoulder. "An SS officer went over to Erwin. I wake up every time the gunshot sounds."

Maho was about to reply when Erwin came running over from the barn which was made into a makeshift radio station. Seeing Maho and Karla, she stopped in front of them.

"Got a message from HQ." She spoke, although her speech was quite broken due to her panting for breath.

Maho and Karla looked at each other then jumped down onto the ground. "What's the message?" They both asked simultaneously.

Erwin took out a piece of paper scribbled with notes. "The 505th Heavy Tank Battalion is to move overnight; to be attached to the 2nd Panzer Division on their right flank. Orders are to attack with the 2nd Panzers at first light. Objective of the attack is to secure the village of Soborwka. After the village has been secured, we are to attack the hills surrounding Olochowatka. All 3 Tiger Companies are to deploy to this area immediately. Air reconnaissance has shown the hill defences around Olochowatka to be well entrenched and well built, and heavily defended with anti-tank guns and infantry. Also expect a large number of landmines in the surrounding area." She spoke.

Karla tilted her head. "So… we're supposed to go, now?" She questioned. Seeing Erwin nod, she sighed. "Shit… And to think I could rest up a little." She whispered, turning away and walking back to her tank.

Maho looked at Erwin. "What about A Company? They're stationed around the hills southwest of here. Do they know?"

Erwin nodded. "Yeah. I radioed their Company CO. They're moving towards the 2nd Panzers right now. We should get going." She smiled slightly and walked towards her own Tiger and climbing in.

Maho sighed, climbing into her Tiger. Seeing Erika still sleeping, she tapped her on her shoulder.

"Hm? Ahh!" Erika woke up, flinching at Maho's touch. "Oh, It's you, Maho." She whispered, rubbing her eyes slightly. "…Why wake me up so early, Leutnant? It's only… 0115 hours." She muttered, looking at her watch.

"We're being attached to the 2nd Panzer Division. We need to get there before we start another attack at sunrise." Maho explained slowly.

Erika's eyes widened. "Another attack…?" Seeing Maho nod, she sighed. "I thought we were going to get at least a day's rest-"She began, when suddenly Erwin's voice crackled over the radio.

"B Company and C Company, listen up. This is Hauptmann Brandt. We are to move out towards our right flank and join up with the 2nd Panzer Division. We are supporting them on an attack towards the village of Soborwka, and the hills surrounding Olochowatka. That's all the details I've been given from HQ. So, Let's mount up!" She spoke. "I'll lead from the front. Oberfeldwebel Brun and Leutnant Ketler will follow behind, and so on. Let's go!"

"Ernst, wake up!" Erika shouted, kicking his shoulder hard. "We're moving off now!"

Ernst clicked his neck. "I know that… And don't kick me so hard please." He whispered, as he started the engine and started moving the Tiger forward. They were soon in a column behind Erwin's Tiger.

"No lights to be switched on until we reach our rendezvous point, got it?" Erwin ordered.

"Aye, Hauptmann." They all replied.

* * *

 _6_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0150 hours._

"Halt! Who goes there?"

A voice sounded from outside Maho's tank, as their convoy screeched to a stop. Maho pushed open the commander's hatch and stood up, looking down at the source of the voice. Several soldiers were standing their ground, their rifles pointed at Maho.

Maho saw Erwin's commander's hatch open, and Erwin jumped down. She followed suit. The men looked at the two female officers. One, who had dark brown hair and grey eyes, walked up to Erwin. "505th Heavy Tank Battalion, yes?" He asked swiftly. Erwin nodded.

"Yes. We are the 505th. B and C Company. I'm Hauptmann Brandt, Battalion CO of the 505th, also Company CO of B Company. This is Leutnant Ketler. She's Second in Command of the 505th, and Second in Command of B Company."

The man relaxed a little, and saluted them. "I'm sorry for stopping you like this, Hauptmann, but when we let the first Company of the 505th through, some of our men thought some Soviet armoured division had sneaked round us. They are so paranoid these days…" He chuckled slightly. "Anyway. The first company has stopped their tanks next to the 1st Panzer regiment, over at your 11 o'clock. You can stop your tanks there too."

"Thanks a lot." Erwin replied, climbing back into her tank. Maho followed suit. "Alright. This is Hauptmann Brandt. We're to stop our tanks next to A Company. They've stopped next to the 1st Panzer regiment at our 11 o'clock. So, if you see any Tigers, you can stop there. Prep your tank for battle, refuel and refill your shells if you need to. We'll be attacking at first light, so around 0400 hours. Get whatever rest you can. Over."

"Aye, Hauptmann." Maho replied, as they drove towards where the other Tigers were.

A few moments later, the engine went quiet, and the Tiger slowed to a stop. Maho opened the commander's hatch. "I've got a few jobs that need doing. Erika, zero the gun again, and check our turret drive is fully functioning. Felix, make sure we have enough shells. I've noticed we may need more HEAT shells, so load a few more this time. Christian, make sure the coaxial machine gun has enough ammo, get more ammo if needs be. Ernst. Check fuel levels and oil pressure. If we're low on fuel, top up enough so we have a full tank. Everyone clear?"

"Aye, Leutnant." They all replied, before Maho climbed out of her Tank, and went to follow Erwin, who was walking towards a soldier. Erwin turned round and smiled, before walking towards the soldier, who saluted and stood at attention.

"Do you know where the Division Commander is?" Erwin asked slowly. The man nodded.

"Yes, ma'am." He replied. "His headquarters is over there." He pointed to a small building to their left.

Erwin nodded in thanks, and gestured for Maho to follow her. They walked towards the building they had been directed to. They saw a man standing outside, flanked by two soldiers as bodyguards. He was rather thin, was shorter than the usual men of his age. As they got closer, Maho could see that the man's trousers had a scarlet stripe going down each trouser leg, and that his field cap was decorated in gold, rather than silver.

"He's the Division Commander." Maho whispered, as the man noticed them and walked over. Maho quickly adjusted her sidecap and uniform, and Erwin straightened her field cap before both stood at attention and saluted.

"Ah. I guess you are the commanders of the 505th Heavy Tank Battalion?" The man asked. "Oh, before you ask, I'm **Generalleutnant** Vollrath Lübbe. Commander of the 2nd Panzer Division. Nice to meet you two." He spoke, shaking first Erwin's, then Maho's hand warmly. Erwin smiled nervously.

"Nice to meet you, Generalleutnant." She spoke. "I'm Hauptmann Brandt. Battalion Commander of the 505th, and Company CO of B Company." She then gestured to Maho. "She's Leutnant Ketler. She is my second in command."

"I see. Well I guess you two would want to know what the order of battle is in detail. So, do come in. I'll explain it to you." Vollrath spoke, opening the door for Maho and Erwin as they walked in. Once they'd entered, the two soldiers closed the door and stood guard.

* * *

 _6_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0300 hours._

The door to the building opened, and both the division commander and both females walked out into the clear, moonless night.

"So, are you all clear about the battle plan?" Vollrath stated slowly to both female officers. Maho and Erwin nodded.

"Aye, Sir." Both quickly replied. Vollrath gave them a smile.

"Good, good. I expect good progress to be made. I wish you good luck in the operation." Vollrath explained, shaking both of their hands warmly. Erwin smiled back.

"We'll try our best sir." She replied slowly, saluting to him before walking back towards her tank. Maho followed on quickly, and climbed into her Tiger. Her crew were already waiting for her. There was silence inside the tank for a few minutes, before Felix spoke up.

"What did the division commander want with you, Leutnant?"He questioned. Maho quickly responded.

"The division commander wanted to go through the battle plan in detail with Erwin and I." She spoke calmly. "We'll be setting off at sunrise, so around 0530 hours. We're to take the village of Soborwka, and after that has been taken, we're to attack the hills surrounding Olochowatka. We're spearheading the attack in front of the 2nd Panzer Division, acting as like a shield to protect the lighter armoured Panzer IIIs and Panzer IVs. We'll be using the panzerkeil formation again. We'll have 3 different panzerkiels deployed when we advance. B Company will be in the centre of the formation, C Company on our left flank, and A Company on our right. Everyone clear on what we're doing?"

"Aye, Leutnant." They all replied. Maho forced a smile.

"Good. Now... we wait." She whispered, lying back into her seat and closing her eyes, trying to get a bit of rest before they set off.

* * *

 _6_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0530 hours._

"The time has come! Let's go Let's go!"

Erwin's voice caused Maho's eyes to snap open instantly. She sat up and put her headphones back on. "Let's go! Panzerkiel formation, all companies! A Company, employ a panzerkiel on our right flank! C Company, employ one on our right flank! B Company will take the middle! Let's move!" She shouted, as her Tiger rumbled into life, heading forwards steadily. She opened the commander's hatch and looked round. The sun was slowly rising from the horizon. Behind her were the 2nd Panzer Division; the Panzer III and Panzer IV medium tanks rumbling behind their Tiger's using them as a sort of shield. And in between the tanks came the motorized infantry regiment and motorcycle infantry battalion; dozens of trucks and motorcycles roaring into life.

"Watch out for any movement." Erwin warned. "They could be setting up an ambush as we advance towards the village."

"Aye Hauptmann." They responded.

Maho sighed and looked through her binoculars. As usual, she couldn't see any sign of an anti-tank gun or any sort of defences. Only bushes and tall grass. As they advanced deeper, she got increasingly edgy once more. "Felix. Load a HEAT shell in. I want us prepared for an ambush." Felix quickly loaded a HEAT shell in.

"Shell loaded, Leutnant." He spoke.

For a few more minutes they advanced without any sort of resistance.

'BOOM!'

Suddenly, a Panzer III on their left flank exploded in flames, then almost immediately another two other Panzers instantly burned up. A Panzer IV exploded spectacularly, the turret flying clean off the tank hull. Maho whirled round.

"Ambush!" She screamed into the radio. "Everyone open fire!"

The remaining tanks started lighting up the area with their coaxial machine guns, but with every passing second, another Panzer III or Panzer IV would get hit, and grind to a halt. Either bursting into flames or the ammunition exploded, causing a massive fireball to engulf the entire tank.

"We can't see them! Where the hell did those shots come from!" One tank commander yelled into the radio. Maho looked round. She saw the puff of smoke come out from their direct left.

"Look out for any puffs of smoke coming from the anti-tank guns! Take them out with your main cannon, or with your machine gun! Everyone, engage any target you see! We must take out this **pakfront**! They've grouped their anti-tank guns into nests!"

Soon enough, the other tanks began firing their cannons, taking out the anti-tank guns. Maho directed several targets, and Erika shot them to smithereens. She spotted another puff of smoke in the near distance, and seconds later, their tank was hit by a shell, but it failed to penetrate.

"Shit!" She shouted. "Erika, anti-tank gun directly in front of us! Distance is around 100m!"

"Target sighted!" She replied.

"Fire!"

The cannon shot and moments later there was a big explosion.

"Target destroy-"

'BOOM!"

Maho turned round as the ground on the Tiger to her left erupted in a fireball. The tracks of the tank fell off and the Tiger ground to a halt.

"Our track's gone, we're stuck!" The commander spoke into the radio frantically. Erwin smashed her fist into the turret in frustration.

"Dammit! Everyone, watch out for anti-tank mines!" She shouted into the radio. A second later, another explosion, and another Panzer III was disabled by an anti-tank mine.

As they advanced, they were being pummelled all over the place with anti-tank fire. The thinly armoured Panzer III and IVs also didn't stand a chance against the powerful anti-tank mines. Maho braced herself as another anti-tank shell impacted hard against the turret, only to ricochet off with sparks flying everywhere.

"Для Советской России! **"**

"Uraa!"

Maho looked in surprise as a load of men rose up from the tall grass about 100m in front of them, armed to the teeth with rifles, sub machine guns, grenades and anti-tank grenades started running towards them, firing their weapons. "Cut them down!" Maho shouted into the radio. The coaxial machine guns burst into life, cutting down some of the men, but many got close enough to throw their anti-tank grenades at the tanks. The thin armour of the Panzer IV meant that the anti-tank grenades would easily burn through the armour, killing or wounding the inhabitants horrifically. Many of the tanks suffered such a fate.

"Keep firing! Don't stop!" Erwin shouted, as her Tiger engaged a dug in anti-tank gun, blowing it up into shards of broken metal. "We've nearly broken through their defences!" She looked behind her; the grassy plain behind her was littered with the burning wrecks of Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks. Corpses lay on the ground all around them. Several immobilised Tigers also stood there. She sighed. 'We've lost a lot of tanks and men... can we keep this up?'

Maho gritted her teeth. "Fire!" The cannon fired and a group of soldiers about 20m away from her Tiger were blown to bits by the blast.

"We've got them." Erika stated. Suddenly, Karla's voice spoke through the radio.

"We've breached through their defence! Soborwka is right in front of us! We could easily take it now!"

Erwin thought for a moment. "Okay. The two Panzer regiments are to come with us to take the village. We'll leave the motorised infantry and motorcycle infantry to mop up this area. Then they are to join us on the assault on the village. Everyone clear?"

"Aye Hauptmann!" They all replied. Erwin smiled.

"Good. Let's go! We haven't got any time to lose!"

* * *

 _6_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0700 hours._

As the remaining motorised infantry arrived at Soborwka, Maho and Erwin were standing around with the Panzer Brigade commander, as well as the motorised infantry regiment commander; discussing their next plan of action.

"Well. I guess that settles it then. Thank you for your time, sir." Maho spoke.

"No, thank you for supporting us. Without you, our panzer regiments would have been decimated." The brigade commander spoke, saluting Maho and Erwin.

Both Erwin and Maho returned the salute, and began walking back towards their Tigers. Around the village were light 105mm artillery guns from the mobile artillery. They were setting up a perimeter so they can counter any artillery barrage in the area. As they walked back, Karla saw them and walked towards them.

"So what's the plan?" She asked.

Erwin looked at Maho. She sighed. "Why can't you explain, Erwin?" She said slyly. Erwin grinned.

"You can do the explaining once in a while." Erwin replied. "Helps you develop your leadship skills..." Maho shook her head and smirked.

"Fine, fine. So. The plan is to take a quick break, then continue our attack on the hills near Olochowatka." She began. "The motorised infantry, one panzer regiment and the 505th will take part in the attack. The rest are to stay here at Soborwka and defend it against any possible counterattacks.

Karla nodded. "I see. When are we setting off then?" She added. Maho gestured to the moving tanks behind her. Karla blinked. "I guess we're setting off now then..." Maho nodded.

"Good answer, Oberfeldwebel Brun." She joked, walking off towards her tank and climbing in. Karla smiled and followed suit. Erwin walked to the group of men huddled round the corner, smoking.

"Alright men. We're moving off now. Save you cigarettes for later." She spoke, and the men quickly stubbed out their cigarettes and walked back towards their tanks. Erwin climbed into her tank, and put on her headphones. "Comm check. Everyone can hear me, right?" She questioned. From her tank, Maho nodded.

"Aye, Haputmann." Maho responded.

"Hearing you loud and clear, Hauptmann." Karla replied.

"Okay. We are to move out. Employ the panzerkiel again. Same as last time. B Company will take the centre. A Company, right flank. C Company, left flank. We're supporting the attack on the hills near Olochowatka. Everyone clear?" Erwin asked.

"Aye, Hautpmann." They all responded.

"Good. Now. Let's move out!" She shouted.

As they neared the hills, Maho opened the commander's hatch and looked up at the sky. The blue, clear sky was gone; replaced with a dark grey swathe of storm clouds. The area darkened as the sun was obscured by clouds. A rumble of thunder sounded. Then it began to rain. First a few drops pattered down, then a torrential downpour crashed down over their heads. The soil soon turned into sticky mud, slowing down the German advance to a crawl. Maho felt a slight unease grow up her spine. Was it the sudden change in weather? Or more uneasy thoughts that have crept up into her mind? She shivered, already soaked from the downpour of rain, but nevertheless she kept on looking through her binoculars.

'I can't see anything... This is bad.' She thought to herself. 'Chances are, we're probably advancing into another pakfront.' She sighed and spoke into the radio. "This is Leutnant Ketler. Everyone. Keep an eye out for any movement. Stay focused. Do not get distratced." She then looked down to Felix. "Load a HEAT shell."

Felix nodded, grabbing a shell and loading it into the cannon, closing the locking mechanism quickly. "Shell loaded." He whispered. There was a sort of quiet nervousness within the tank. Erika was slowly fiddling with the trigger, her hand poised to squeeze the trigger, and fire the cannon. Maho looked around with her binoculars, but still couldn't see any movement. Suddenly, she heard a quiet howling noise.

"Do you hear that?" She whispered to Erika. Erika nodded in reply. The howling got louder and louder. Maho looked down at Erika in horror. "Katyushas..." She whispered.

'Not this again...'

She instantly took cover inside her tank, and screamed into the radio. "Katyusha rockets! Take cover!" A few moments later, massive fireballs exploded all around them as the rockets impacted, showering their tanks with mounds of muddy earth and rocks. The sound of explosions were deafening, the sound reverberating around inside her Tiger.

"Keep in formation! Don't break off! Keep going!" Erwin shouted into the radio, as several rockets found their mark and hit some of the tanks, instantly blowing them up into charred and splintered remains.

'BOOM!'

A sudden explosion of sparks caused Erwin to turn and look to her left. The Tiger next to her ground to a halt, a hole burned through the engine block. Soon, flames were rising around the tank, slowly enveloping the Tiger with fire. The commander's hatch opened, and the crew bailed out into the pouring rain. She sighed a sigh of relief.

'At least they got out saf-'

The air exploded with the sound of machine gun and small arms fire; bullets flying and ricocheting everywhere. The sound of anti-tank guns could also be heard, shells whizzing overhead or impacting with the armour, causing sparks to fly off the Tigers' hull. The crew members instantly crumpled under a storm of bullets. Karla's eyes widened in surprise and horror. All around them, no more than 100m away, she could see the muzzle flashes of hundreds of guns and anti-tank guns could be seen in the storm.

"It's an ambush!"

* * *

Notes:

Here you go. Chapter 9. Hope you guys like it. I think the quality isn't as good, because I can't think well in hot and humid places. But I did my best. (Guess where I am on holiday :D ) I'm still on holiday, but I'll see if I can write up Chapter 10 anytime soon... **UPDATE: Chapter 10 is LIVE.**

 **As always, any reviews with constructive criticism would be welcome.**

 **If you've enjoyed what you've read, and want to know what happens next, or if you're just interested in my writing, don't hesitate to favourite and follow! It also helps me know what I'm writing you find enjoyable.**


	10. Chapter 10: An Upward Struggle

**Chapter 10** **:** **An Upward Struggle**

6th July, 1943. 0730 hours.

The entire area lit up with blinding flashes, bullets flying everywhere, anti-tank shells whizzing past at supersonic speeds. Every so often a Panzer III or Panzer IV would get hit, and spit out flames, or simply just grind to a halt; every crewmember inside killed within it's steel hull. However, thanks to it's strong armour, the shell would just ricochet off the Tiger's frontal armour. But it's relatively thin side armour was within penetrating range of the 76mm Zis-3 Soviet anti-tank gun. The storm continued to thunder above them; dazzling flashes of lightning and deafening thunder rumbled around them.

"Engage anything you see! We need to break through their defences!" Erwin shouted into the mic, as several shells slammed into her Tiger's frontal armour and turret; sparks erupting as metal scraped against metal. Another shell smashed into the turret, the impact throwing her off balance. But the sturdy turret armour made the shell simply deflected off.

An explosion caused Maho to look to her right. One of the Tiger's on her right had struck a land mine and the track slowly fell off. The tank slowly ground to a halt. Seconds later two shells smashed into the side armour. One shell ricocheted off the hull, but one penetrated the armour. A few seconds later, flames erupted from the engine, and the commander's hatch opened as the surviving crew bailed out. One had a bloody face, the other fell down to the ground and began crawling to safety.

"We've lost a Tiger!" Maho shouted into the mic. "The 76mm anti-tank gun went through the side armour. Two survivors." She stated as another Tiger rolled over another mine and was immobilised. As they continued to advance, the anti-tank fire became even more ferocious. Shells flew overhead relentlessly, and the artillery and Katyusha rockets zeroed in onto their position. Shells whistled overhead, and exploded all around them; each explosion throwing mounds of muddy earth and rocks all over the place. The sounds of gunfire, explosions and shells grinding against armour was indescribable. She ducked down as several Katyusha rockets howled overhead. She felt a slight chill in her spine. 'Am I going to die here...?' She thought. But now wasn't the time to dwell on such a thing. She saw a silhouette of a tank on the top of the hill. "Erika. T-34 on the top of the hill! 2 o'clock! Distance, around 500m.

"Target sighted!" She replied.

Maho ducked down as another shell smashed into the frontal armour of her Tiger, the impact throwing her backwards. "Fire." She stated.

The cannon fired and through the smoke, Maho could see the evident sign of an ammunition explosion.

"Target destroyed." Erika stated.

"Shit! We've got some infantry rushing down the hill!" Erwin shouted into the radio. "Everyone, cut them down!"

"I can't see them!" Karla replied. "The smoke is too thick! I can't see anything!"

"Trust me! I saw them coming down the hill!" Erwin shouted.

Maho strained her eyes, looking for any shape that resembled a human. But as they continued advancing, she started to see figures coming out of the hazy smoke, their rifles raised, screaming at the top of their voices. As they got closer, she could see that many of them were holding bottles of liquid. A rag was stuffed into the neck of the bottle, with flames protruding from the neck of the bottle. Once close enough, they would drop down into the long grass, and crawl up to the closest tank, and throw the bottle. The bottle shattered on the tank, and fire would spread all along the hull of the tank. Some bottles smashed on the engine block, the flames setting the engine on fire. Several bottles sailed into the tank, through the commander's hatch. A few moments later, she could see the crew members struggle frantically out of the tank; all of them covered in flames. The collapsed onto the ground, trying to put out the flames, whilst screaming in agony as the fire licked at their skin, slowly burning them alive. Maho's eyes widened in horror and instantly ducked down and closed the commander's hatch. "Cut the infantry down! Now!" She screamed into the radio "All units! Cut down the infantry with the Molotov cocktails! We can't let them get close!"

"Uraa!"

Maho looked in her viewing optics, and she could see several men running towards her Tiger; all donned with Molotov cocktails. As they got closer, several were gunned down by the coaxial machine gun that Christian was operating, but one survived and managed to throw the flaming bottle just as his body was torn in half by a storm of machine gun bullets. Time slowed as Maho watched the bottle sail overhead and shatter on top of the turret. Flames instantly erupted on the turret, and the flaming gasoline dripped into the engine block as well as obscuring her optics with smoke. She fell back onto her chair, and sighed. In her eyes, she could see fire spreading into the tank. She looked at her hands. They were blackened and burnt, almost down to the bone. The putrid smell of burnt flesh hit her nostrils. Everything had slowed down. Her hearing was distorted. She looked down at her hands again. This time, they were perfectly normal. Something else caught her attention. Erika was shaking her, mouthing something desperately at her, but she couldn't hear what Erika was saying. Her mind had dominated her sense of reality.

'This is it, Maho. Time to die...'

"No..." She whispered to herself in dread. "N-No... This can't happen... not yet." Tears began falling down her cheeks. "N-N-No...-I'm sorry... Miho. But it looks like I can't keep that pro-"

"Maho! Snap out of it!" Erika's voice rang through her head suddenly like an alarm bell. She suddenly snapped out of her trance like state. Her hearing came back instantly and the sounds of explosions, gunfire and screaming flooded back. She blinked and looked and looked at Erika.

"Hm?" She asked innocently. Erika and Felix breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness. We thought we wouldn't be able to make you sna-" Felix began.

"Everyone, We've got a problem!" Ernst shouted suddenly. "Our oil pressure and water temperatures are going through the roof! Something must be wrong with the engine!" At the same time, Karla's voice broke through on the radio. Her voice was frantic.

"Leutnant! There are flames coming from your engine block! I repeat! There are flames coming from the engine block!"

Maho looked aghast. "Y-You sure...?"She whispered.

"Positive!" Erwin replied desperately. "The fire is spreading across your engine! Bail out! Quickly!"

Maho looked at her crew, before opening the commander's hatch. She looked at the engine. It was smoking, with flames leaping from the radiator grilles. She sighed and closed it again. "The engine is on fire. Ernst. Shut off the engine. We're staying and fighting." She forced a smile. "If we are to die, I want us to die fighting." On hearing this, Christian frowned.

"Leutnant. We are not going to die here. You hear me?" He stated forcefully.

"He's right, Maho." Erika joined in. "We won't die. We can't. Not yet." She spoke softly, turning round and putting an arm on Maho's shoulder gently. "We'll go back to Soborwka, and get that engine repaired as best as we can. I mean, I don't want our tank to go down like this. It is our second home." She smiled.

"Leutnant Ketler! Recovery vehicles are on their way! They should be here very soon!" Erwin shouted through the radio. "Keep fighting!" But Maho was unsure about it. They had taken very heavy losses and had lost a lot of tanks and infantry trying to assault this position.

"Hauptmann. I think we should pull back to Soborwka and regroup. We've taken very heavy casualties." She spoke into the radio. "We've lost one Tiger, and have some immobilised. The panzer regiment has taken significant losses as well. We won't be able to press on with the attack right now." The tank shook as several more shells smashed against there frontal armour and turret. "But, you're the Battalion Commander. It's your choice."

Erwin sighed, thinking hard. "But HQ has told us that we had to take the hills, no matter what." She answered.

"I know, Hauptmann, I know." Maho replied, nodding in agreement. "But think about it. We've lost the element of surprise, as well as taking heavy casualties. If we continue trying to fight our way through this, we're only going to lose more men. Is it worth it?" She asked.

"But we can still achieve a breakthrough!" One other commander chirped in. "If we just hit them on masse, we can-"

"Leutnant Ketler's right." Karla spoke firmly. "We've taken too many losses to continue this attack." Her attention then fell on Erwin. "Hauptmann. I think our best chances are to withdraw, regroup, resupply then renew the attack later on today or tomorrow. With your permission, I and the rest of B Company will lead them back. Some Tigers are to cover the recovery and withdrawal of the immoblised Tigers."

Erwin thought hard for a few moments, before deciding what to do. "Alright. All units, listen up! We're falling back to our positions in Soborwka. Let's get back now! I repeat! All units are to fall back to Soborwka! We've taken too many losses to continue the attack! I and Feldwebel Brun will stay and cover the recovery of the immobilised Tigers. Everyone just get back. I will see you all back at Soborwka." She ordered.

"Aye, Hauptmann." They all replied, and soon enough, the remaining Panzer IIIs and IVs were retreating, followed by the infantry and Tiger Tanks. As the recovery vehicles arrived and began towing back the immobilised Tigers back to Soborwka, they were continually pummelled by artillery and Katyusha rockets. The explosions landed close to their retreating convoy, piling mounds of earth onto their tanks. Inside their Tiger, Maho and her crew couldn't do anything, but wait till they had arrived back at Soborwka.

* * *

 _6th July, 1943. 1030 hours._

"That is all, gentlemen. Thank you for your time. Get some rest and get any repairs done."

Maho was inside an abandoned house, which was turned into a makeshift frontline HQ for their sector. She, Erwin and other officers were standing around a table with a large map placed upon it. Hearing Erwin dismiss the other officers, she finally turned to look at Erwin.

"That's a bold plan." She stated, as Erwin walked over and out of the house, prompting Maho to follow her. "On paper, it should work. But we'll see when we put it into action tonight."

Erwin forced a smile, leaning against the wall of the house and taking out a cigarette and lighter. Seeing Maho look at her cigarette, she smirked and handed her one. "Haven't you got any?" She asked innocently. Maho shook her head.

"I ran out yesterday." She simply stated, lighting it and taking a deep breath before exhaling. "And what I've been through just then, I deserve one." She joked lightly.

"You were lucky, Maho. It could of ended a lot worse." Erwin replied, her light and happy demeanour changed into one of seriousness and concern. "You were lucky that you closed your hatch in time."

"I know Erwin..." Maho sighed, her eyes replaying the moment several burning crew members from a Panzer III bailed out of their burning tank; their screams of agony. They way they writhed around in pain. She was certainly lucky... But she snapped out of it before her mind had the possibility to take over her again. "On that note, I hope they can fix up the engine... it seemed to be damaged pretty bad, and I doubt that HQ can send a replacement engine in a few quick hours." She muttered, throwing her cigarette down onto the muddy ground and stubbing it out, before looking up at the sky. The thunderstorm was clearing, but a steady drizzle still rained down on them, forming puddles on the ground.

"Maho? Can I ask for your opinion on something?" Erwin suddenly asked, turning to look at her. She nodded quickly.

"Go ahead."

Erwin thought for a moment, then spoke. "I was thinking if Karla would be eligible for a battlefield commission. The Tiger that was destroyed contained our other 2nd in command. Yes. You were not the only second in command." Erwin smirked, seeing her raise a brow. "So, since he was killed, we naturally have a gap in the chain of command. And from my observation, Karla seems the most... suitable replacement." She stated. "She's a good and talented leader, like you."

Maho raised a brow. "You know it's really hard to persuade HQ to give out a battlefield commission?" She asked. Erwin nodded.

"I know. But I'll try my best. She deserves it, you know?" She spoke, as Maho nodded in agreement. "She's been through this much, and shows potential. She deserves the rank of Leutnant... Anyway. I'll radio in HQ to see if she can be eligible for a promotion. And I'll look into her personal files to see what she's been up to in the past. I'll see you later." Erwin smiled, and saluted, before walking back inside the house.

Maho returned the salute slowly and began walking back towards her Tiger, which was stopped next to Karla's Tiger. As she got closer, she could see her crew working hard on the engine. She climbed on top of the turret. "How are the repairs going?" She asked. Erika and Ernst shook their heads.

"Not very well..." Erika began.

"...We've been trying our best, but the best chances would be to get a replacement engine. This engine can function, but it will not last long." Ernst added slowly. Maho sighed in slight frustration.

"Okay. Just try and get repairs done if possible. If it really isn't working, radio in for a replacement engine." She stated. "Also." She added. "Check our supplies. Restock our ammunition and shells if needs be. We'll be launching a night attack at midnight. Everyone clear? I will join you later. I need to find Hauptmann Brandt."

"Aye, Leutnant." They responded. Maho nodded and walked back towards the house which acted as their frontline HQ. Once inside, she could see Erwin sat down on a desk, with Karla's personal file in her hand.

"Care if I join you, Erwin?" She asked. Erwin nodded.

"Sure. It'll be good for you to help." She spoke slowly. Maho smiled and sat down next to her.

"Here." Erwin passed some papers to Maho. "These papers have her combat records, and any significant events that has included her is also written down." Maho nodded and quickly began reading them.

"Oberfeldwebel Karla Brun. Enlisted into the Panzerwaffe on 5th January 1940. Completed basic training on 5th April 1940. Completed training to operate Panzer IVC's in November 1940. Promoted to the rank Unteroffizer after taking part in the invasion of France. Stationed in France till June 1941. She was transferred to the Eastern Front with the 1st Panzer Division and took part in the Battle of Moscow. Was promoted to Unterfeldwebel on the 5th December 1941, after participating into the encirclement and destruction of Soviet forces in Vyazma. Was transferred to fight at Stalingrad with the 56th Panzer Division, where she was injured when her tank was destroyed by a T-34 in December 1942. Therefore, she received the **Wound Badge** in Black and was promoted to **Feldwebel** for her actions in the battle. She, along with several other commanders destroyed 24 enemy tanks. She was then taken back to Germany for retraining on the new Tiger Tanks, and whilst afterwards was transferred to the 503rd Heavy Tank battalion to take part in the 3rd Battle of Kharkov. She was promoted to the rank of Oberfeldwebel after the battle due to her outstanding contribution in that battle. She single handedly destroyed 12 T-34 tanks and different assortments of anti-tank guns. However, the very next day of being promoted, she was wounded again and sent back to Germany for treatment. She was then retransferred back to the Eastern Front and transferred to the 505th Heavy tank Battalion, to participate in Operation Citadel."

Erwin raised a brow. "She sure has seen a lot of action..." Seeing Maho nod in agreement, she continued. "I guess I can use this to argue for her field commission."

"She's got plenty of battlefield experience and expertise. I don't see why HQ wouldn't want someone as experienced as her not to be promoted." Maho stated. "She's got almost more combat experience than me."

"Okay. I'll radio in HQ for their opinion, and if they approve it, I'll make my final decision." Erwin replied.

Maho nodded in response and walked out towards the door. "I'll see you later, then." She spoke softly, before walking back out of the house and towards her Tiger. Erika quickly ran over.

"Leutnant! We've got some good news!" She spoke quickly. Maho tilted her head.

"Hm?"

Erika grabbed Maho's sleeves and dragged her to the engine, where Felix and Ernst were sitting on the turret; looking pleased with themselves.

"We fixed up the engine with some spare parts! It works pretty well right now, but as long as we don't push the engine too hard, it should manage reasonably well." Felix spoke smugly, as Ernst nodded in agreement.

"The engine wasn't as badly damaged as we thought." Ernst explained. "We've managed to fix it up... well mostly." He smiled.

"Good, Good." Maho replied, nodding. She jumped into the Tiger, and slid down into Christians' seat; checking the machine gun ammunition. 'Hmm. We nearly don't have enough ammunition left.' She thought to herself, before climbing back up, jumping down and walking away. "The coaxial machine gun needs more ammunition." She spoke as she walked. "And, I'll get it. Get some rest. You worked hard on that engine."

"Aye, Leutnant." They replied.

Meanwhile, Erwin was still inside the HQ, pouring over Karla's service record. She frowned. High Command had given her the all clear to promote Karla, but she had the difficult choice of whether to promote her or not. 'She's been through a lot, and has gained a lot of experience through all of it.' She thought. "But... is she ready to become an officer?" She spoke to herself softly. She reached out and took the new pair of shoulder-boards depicting the rank of Leutnant from the table top into her hand. It was silvery grey in colour, due to the fact it was made out of aluminium-thread double piping. She closed her eyes and thought hard about it. Hours passed as she continued thinking about it.

'Am I making the right choice...?' She thought. Another voice answered in her head.

'You know Karla well enough, don't you? She's a good NCO, she has plenty of experience in leading small groups of men. She is also trustworthy, and will not question orders. Aren't those qualities fit for an officer?' It replied. 'You know full well she will do well as an officer.'

'But is she ready for it?' Yet another conflicting voice popped into her head. 'Yes, she may have experience in leading troops, but does she have enough? Also, are you sure about this decision? Is Karla really the only suitable one for the job?'

'Erwin.' The first voice came back. 'Trust your instincts. If you think she is ready, then she is ready. If not, don't promote her. It's simple. It's your choice...'

A few minutes later, she opened her eyes. She had made her decision.

* * *

 _6th July, 1943. 1900 hours._

The time spent repairing and rearming seemed to pass almost instantly. Maho walked back to her Tiger after enjoying a cigarette with Karla, only to see Erika sitting there, with her back to her. There seemed to be a melancholy mood hanging around her. She seemed to be staring at the sky, watching the gentle orangey red sunset; the clouds drifting past peacefully. Maho climbed up onto the turret and slowly sat down to Erika, who took some time before noticing her presence.

"Oh. Hey, Maho." She whispered slowly.

"Hey..." Maho replied slowly. "Watching the sunset?" Seeing Erika nod she continued. "It's beautiful, isn't it..." She whispered.

"Mm..." Erika responded. A few seconds later, she rested her head on Maho's shoulder. A few moments later, Maho could feel her shaking slightly, and wet started soaking her shoulder. She instinctively put an arm round Erika, and pulled her closer; trying to comfort her in any way possible.

"What's up?" She whispered quietly. Erika shook her head, then nuzzled further into Maho's shoulder.

"I-I... miss her...Maho..." She cried into Maho's shoulder. "I m-miss her so much-h..."

Maho nodded slowly, and continued comforting her gently. "Shh... it's okay..." She whispered, attempting to calm her down. "I understand..."

Erika calmed down a little, but tears continued sliding down her cheeks and onto Maho's uniform. "J-Just ignore me, Maho..." She mumbled between half stifled sobs. "I'm being pathetic..." Maho smirked slightly at her remark.

"Crying isn't being pathetic, Erika. But. I can't let Christian, Felix or Ernst see you like this, otherwise they'll think you're the one who is pathetic." She replied cheekily. Erika lifted up her head and gave Maho a teary grin, before sitting back up and wiping her eyes with her sleeve before reaching into her inner pocket of her panzerjacke and taking out a tattered picture and showing it to Maho.

"Here she is." Erika said simply, smiling slightly. "Wasn't she beautiful...?"

Maho took the picture and looked at it. Erika and her younger sister was in the photo, both donned in their new panzerwaffe uniform. Erika was on the right, and her sister stood on her left. She was rather young, but was only a few inches smaller than Erika, thin and extremely beautiful. "Yes... She was beautiful." Maho responded, giving the picture back to Erika. "What was her name? You never told me."

Erika was about to respond, when she saw Erwin walk past them, then a few minutes later, all the other crew members were forming up on-masse next to the house. She quickly jumped down, and gestured Maho to follow.

When they got there, every crewmember in the Battalion was there, in three ranks of men; each rank containing members from the specific company. Erika quickly joined the front rank, and Maho walked to face them.

"Battalion! Atten-Tion!" She shouted. Every member immediately stood at attention, as Erwin walked out of the house, her left hand clutching the pair of shoulder-boards. She walked next to Maho, then stopped, facing the battalion.

"Men. Today is a special day." Erwin began. "Today, we see one of our commanders starting a new career as an commissioned officer, through a battlefield commission. Oberfeldwebel Brun, step forward." She spoke.

There was a distinct murmur as Karla stepped forward, her face evident with surprise and happiness. Erwin gave her a quick smile before reading out the verbiage for promotion.

"The Führer, has reposed special trust and confidence in the valour, bravery, experience and abilities of Karla Brun. In the view of these qualities, and her demonstrated potential for increased responsibility, I herby declare that Karla Brun is to be promoted from Oberfeldwebel to Leutnant. From now on, she is a commissioned officer." She then stepped forward and handed Karla her new shoulder-boards. She quickly took them and stood at attention.

"Congratulations, Leutnant Brun." Erwin spoke, before saluting and shaking her hand. Karla smiled, and returned the salute quickly.

"Thank you... Hauptmann." She whispered, smiling with a single tear sliding down of her cheek. Erwin smiled, and nodded again, before looking at the rest of the battalion.

"Leutnant Brun has gotten this rank because of her hard work, dedication and bravery in this war. If you work hard like her, there maybe a time you will be promoted, just like her. That is all. And remember, we shall resume our attack on the hills of Olochowatka at 0100 hours tonight. Battalion... Dismissed!" She ordered, and the battalion quickly dispersed and resumed doing what they were doing beforehand, leaving Karla, Maho and Erwin alone.

Once the men and women had gone back to their duties, Maho turned to Karla and smiled. "Congratulations Karla. I knew they would approve it." Karla beamed and nodded.

"Thank you, Leutnant. But I must excuse myself for now. I need to attach these onto my uniform." She showed Maho her new shoulder-boards.

"That's alright, Karla." She spoke calmly. Karla saluted before walking back to her Tiger. Maho smiled, and looked at her own shoulder-boards, remembering when she was promoted to Leutnant after completing officer training. Whilst she was remembering the past, Erwin sneaked behind her and grabbed both her shoulders.

"Boo!" She shouted playfully. Maho jumped and gasped, nearly falling over and tripping over her own legs.

"Erwin! Don't do that!" She shouted, as Erwin burst out laughing, her officer's cap falling off her head and onto the floor.

"Sorry. I just felt like it." She spoke cheekily. "And. I have a more important to tell you." Maho looked at her with a slight frown, but nodded.

"Tonight, we'll be flanking the defences." She began. "Or trying to." She added, seeing Maho raise her brow. "As I was saying, since it is a night attack, they shouldn't really realise what has hit them. So we still have the element of surprise. Anyway. What is our plan of attack?" Erwin grinned. "I want to see if you had been listening to what we had discussed earlier today."

Maho nodded. "The other Panzer regiment, along with the motorised infantry regiment are to attack on their left flank, supported by C Company from our Battalion. B and A Company, coupled with two motorcycle infantry companies will attack their right flank. So it is like a pincer movement. They rest of the forces will stay at Soborwka. Am I right?" She asked.

"You're right, Leutnant." Another voice emanated from behind her. Karla had joined them. Her uniform was different. Instead of having cloth shoulder-straps, she now had a pair of dull aluminium shoulder-boards showing that she was now a Leutnant was sown on, replacing her old Oberfeldwebel shoulder straps. Maho turned round, surprised.

"Oh, hey Karla." She spoke. Karla smiled.

"Hey, Leutnant." She replied, taking out her Luger and casually loading it before putting it back into her holster. "I don't know why..." She began. "But something about me feels different. Like, as if I have all the power in the world with these on." She tapped her shoulder-boards with her hand. Erwin and Maho started laughing.

"Yes, Karla. I understand what you mean." Erwin replied. "But, listen closely. Now you're an officer, you now have the responsibility to lead. Having this rank means you have to be more responsible. Clear?" Karla nodded.

"Yes, Hauptmann."

"Get some rest now, both of you." Erwin spoke to Maho and Karla. "We have a hill to take tonight."

"Aye, Hauptmann." They both replied, and began walking back to their Tigers. Karla walked back to hers, and Maho climbed into her Tiger, sitting down into her seat and closed her eyes; trying to get whatever rest should could before the attack. Once blackness had swallowed her vision, she began thinking.

'Will this attack work? It seems to be too easy on paper. But of course, things on the battlefield are totally different to what they are on paper.' She thought to herself. Maho sighed, and tilted her head back.

'Only time will tell, I guess.'

* * *

 _7th July, 1943. 0230 hours._

"Fall back! All units! Fall back immediately!"

Karla's voice rocked through Maho's headphones through the absolute chaos unfolding outside. Maho took a quick peek outside, only to be met with a scene of carnage. Muzzle flashes exploding everywhere, tracer bullets flying endlessly toward their targets. Some bullets whizzed past her, or bounced off the turret and armour of the tank, ricocheting everywhere. The anti-tank fire was unrelenting; shells screamed overhead or slammed into their armour. Ahead of them, she could see a Tiger that was burning out, the crew struggling to bail out due to the flames and the hail of bullets. Overhead, she could hear the howls of more Katyusha rockets. Her blood froze again with dread.

"Take cover! Katyushas!" She screamed into the radio as one exploded right beside her, the blast throwing her off balance and causing her to smash her head onto the side of the turret, before toppling back inside the tank, where she tried to regain her sense of awareness.

"Leutnant! Are you alright?!" Felix yelled as he rammed a fresh HEAT round into the cannon breech, and Erika pressed the trigger, causing another round to discharge downrange. Maho stood up shakily.

"I-I'm fine, Felix! Just carry on giving our forces covering fire as we retreat!" She shouted coldly at him. She took another look at the burning Tiger: there were two corpses lying on the turret, the other was crumpled on the floor, still burning from being enveloped in flames as he bailed out. On her left hand side, she saw Karla's tank take several hits from a few anti-tank guns; sparks flying everywhere as several impacted the armour. "Leutnant Brun, What's your status!"

"We just took a hit! Our turret is jammed! We can't move it! Our gunner is wounded! Some shrapnel managed to hit him in the shoulder!" She responded desperately. "He's losing a lot of blood!"

Through the radio, Maho could hear the screams of pain coming from the gunner. She sighed and looked outside again. It seemed as if the fires of hell had opened up; dead soldiers lying everywhere, or wounded men screaming in absolute agony. Katyusha rockets and artillery shells rained down upon them with no mercy, exploding and throwing up massive mounds of earth. She gasped as a machine gun opened up on her tank, tracer bullets flying and ricocheting around as they pulled back. Several bounced on top of the turret, and one closely missed her. She looked to her left; Karla had ducked down just in time as a shell screamed over and smashed into the top of the turret, bouncing off immediately but left a trail of sparks. Maho sighed with relief. Karla was so close. So close to dea-

A sudden explosion in front of them rocked the entire tank. Maho slammed into the back of the turret, and she felt a searing hot, blinding pain suddenly scrape through her forehead. She crumpled into her chair, everything slowing down as she saw and felt blood and tears drip down her face. She weakly felt her wound. The warmth of the blood dribbled down her hand. Through her blurry vision, she could see Erika turn round and grab the first aid kit.

"Don't worry, Leutnant! It's only a small cut!" Erika lied, grabbing a bandage and trying to apply pressure on it. "Felix, give me a hand here! Now!" She shouted, as Felix grabbed a sterilised dressing.

"Ernst! Keep pulling back! She needs medical attention, quickly!" He ordered. He then turned her attention to Maho. "Don't worry, Leutnant. We'll fix you up as best we can. Okay?"

Maho could barely hear what they were saying. The pain was too intense. She felt more blood run down her face as Erika pulled the blood soaked bandage away, and took another one out; her face contorted with worry and stress. Her vision became blurrier, and blackness began to fill her vision. She turned weakly to Erika. "A-Am I gonna die...?" She whispered. Erika shook her head, tears sliding down her cheek.

"Don't... say that Leutnant." She whispered, still attempting to stop the bleeding from her forehead. "You're not going to die... You promised her, Leutnant, remember?"

"You're going to survive."

* * *

Notes:

So here you go. Chapter 10 is up. I felt like adding a calm section within this chapter, as well as revealing Karla's history for you as a bit of contrast to the constant fighting. I'll be going back to the UK in a few days (29th to be exact.) I get two days of rest before school starts again. So, we shall see when I can write up chapter 11.

 **UPDATE: _CHAPTER 11 IS LIVE!  
_**

 **As always, any reviews with constructive criticism would be welcome.**

 **If you've enjoyed what you've read, and want to know what happens next, or if you're just interested in my writing, don't hesitate to favourite and follow! It also helps me know what I'm writing you find enjoyable.**


	11. Chapter 11: The Tide Turns

**Chapter 11: The Tide Turns**

12th July, 1943. 2100 hours.

The gentle twilight sun slowly sank down towards the horizon; casting long shadows on the objects its orangey rays fell upon. 5 Tiger tanks stood still on the grassy hill; almost as if they were frozen in time. But they weren't shiny and clean anymore. Each one showed the scars of war. Chunks of metal were chipped off from the armour from when shells impacted and bounced off; each one had remnants of mud plastered around its lower hull. Around them, destroyed anti-tank guns were thrown around the place; some of the metal barrels sticking up in the ground like battle standards. Corpses of dead Soviet and German soldiers alike were littered around the hill; horrifically mutilated and sprawled around like ragdolls covered in blood.

Maho was standing about a few dozen meters in front, standing there with her StG 44 in her hands. She had a rather bloodstained bandage wrapped round her head, which covered the wound she sustained on her forehead earlier during the offensive. She looked in front, seeing the rest of the infantry that were dug into their frontline trenches that they had made a day before. They had advanced forwards, and had taken the hills of Teploje. She and Karla had been ordered by Erwin to take the hill southwest of Teploje with 3 other Tigers as backup, as well as two companies of motorised infantry that the 4th Panzer Division could spare; whilst 5 other operational Tigers and remaining infantry attacked the hills south of the area. During the attack on the hills of Olochowtka, their Tigers had taken substantial damage, and they had to withdraw back to their reserve lines to commence emergency repairs. Right now, they didn't have a full battalion; 26 of their Tigers were operational and in reserve positions in Soborwka, around 4-5km away from where they were now.

'This is taking too long…' Maho thought to herself as she swung her assault rifle over her shoulder; the strap hung around her shoulder, taking the weight of the weapon so her hands were free to move and not hold it. 'We should have completed the offensive by now, what's taking them so long?' Maho gritted her teeth in frustration and kicked the ground hard. "Why is nothing going according to plan!" She shouted out loud in a sudden outburst of anger. She was sick of it. Sick of it all. Her crew were exhausted and needed rest. They had a low morale. A number of their comrades had been killed. 'We still had plenty of ammunition and rations, thankfully.' She told herself. But the other part knew that this offensive was taking their toll on her for the worse. "The memories…" She whispered. "I can't get them to go away. They're like a plague in my mind; tormenting me every time I try to get some respite… It's… slowly driving me insane."

"Are you okay, Maho?"

A voice sounded from behind her. Maho turned round. Karla was behind her. Seeing her gentle, yet radiant smile lifted Maho's spirits up slightly. "Yeah. I'm okay." She replied slowly. "What are you doing here? I thought you were resupplying ammunition for your Tiger."

Karla shook her head. "Oh, I left my crew to do that. You're standing guard on your own, so I want to come and join you."

Maho smiled slightly. "Thanks…" She whispered. Her mood then suddenly changed. "Aren't you sick of this all?" She muttered dryly after staying silent for a while. "Every day we fight, but for what? There's no point in fighting anymore. We haven't been able to take sufficient ground, and we've taken very heavy losses all along the way. Isn't it time we stopped? The war on this front is lost. Haven't they realised it yet?" Her voice rose in frustration." They're sending us to our deaths by deploying us into this hellhole of a country!" She shouted at Karla, who immediately took a few steps back in fear and surprise. Immediately, she felt ashamed of herself; shouting at someone who hadn't even done anything wrong. "I…I'm sorry, Karla." She whispered, hanging her head. "I didn't mean to shout at you."

Karla walked up her and shook her head slowly. "No, Maho." She began. "I understand your frustration." She walked over and gently rested her head on Maho's shoulder. "I know how you feel. It's… annoying, isn't it? Not being able to have the advantage we had then." She whispered calmly.

Maho nodded in agreement. "Mm. It's more than annoying." She sighed. "The Soviets are much more tactically adept now than they were two years ago. Their defences are stiff and hard to break through. And their counterattacks… are just… horrifying." She mumbled. "The amount of equipment and men they can muster; at this rate, they'll totally outnumber us if they counterattack."

Karla smiled, and stood up at her full height again. "Well, Leutnant. If the counterattack does come, we'll fight to the very end. Am I right? We'll fight for our families and for the survival of the fatherland." She spoke calmly. Maho smiled faintly and nodded.

"We will. To the very end." She replied.

Karla nodded, then took out a packet of cigarettes, and tossed them to Maho. "Go on. I know you want one." She remarked cheekily, causing Maho to force a smile.

"You know me too well, Karla." Maho replied whilst taking one and passing it back to her. She lit it and took a deep breath, before exhaling.

"Well, I've been with you for this time; I must've learned a thing or two about you." Karla joked, before helping herself to one. "I know you have a younger sister, at least." She added, seeing Maho shake her head and smile.

"Well then, do you know how old she is? I bet you won't know that." Maho asked sarcastically.

"15. And she wants to join the Panzerwaffe when she's old enough." Karla promptly replied. Seeing Maho raise a brow, she smiled. "Hauptmann Brandt told me all about her." She added quickly. "What's she like? Do you like her, or do you find her annoying?"

Maho smiled faintly. "She can be adorable at times, but she can be rather annoying too. But generally she is really pleasant. I will easily sacrifice my own life for her to live if I had to…" She whispered, her face falling slightly. She reached into her pocket, and took out a small crinkled photo; both siblings were there: Maho, in her Panzerwaffe uniform on the left, and Miho was on the right; smiling into the camera with Maho's sidecap on her head. "Here she is." Maho whispered, passing it to Karla.

Karla looked at the picture, and smiled warmly. "She looks adorable." She stated gently. No reply. Karla looked at Maho. She had turned her back to her, and was just standing there; her hair blowing gently in the evening breeze. Karla stood behind her and slowly put her hand on Maho's shoulder. "Maho?"

"I'm sorry Karla." She whispered quietly in reply. "It's just, you don't know how much I miss her." Maho turned round to face Karla; she had a single tear sliding down the corner of her eye and down onto her cheek, although trying very hard not to show it to her.

Karla nodded slowly. "It's okay, Maho. I understand how you feel." She whispered, walking round and putting a comforting arm round Maho's shoulder. "I still miss her, even though it's been two years." She smiled slightly. "War is so cruel, isn't it?" She spoke aloud. "Everything and everyone you love and care for; it takes it away in a blink of an eye." She pulled Maho closer, trying to comfort her. "I understand you miss her. It's natural for us to be like that." She continued, smirking slightly. "But right now, Maho, you need to keep your head up and do what you do best; leading our platoon and destroying enemy tanks."

Maho smiled faintly, and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "When did you turn into one of us? Giving advice like this?" She asked cheekily.

"Ever since I've been promot-"

The air suddenly exploded with gunshots and machine gun fire. Karla and Maho instinctively ducked down onto the ground. "What's happening?!" Maho yelled at Karla over the chaotic din. She shook her head.

"I don't know!"

Maho kept low on the ground as the gunfire continued. They then suddenly stopped, reducing to the occasional crack of a rifle. She looked up slightly, and she thought she could hear a voice… but then it was drowned out by a gust of wind. The machine gun opened up a short burst, then quiet. The voice emanated from the near distance again. She could hear a shout of "Nicht schießen!" before several cracks of rifle fire sounded again. "What the…?" She muttered, standing up and having a look.

In the hazy distance, she could see a man running towards their position, his hands raised in the air in surrender. The man fell into the trench, and was roughly examined before being dragged off by three soldiers towards where Maho and Karla were. They threw him roughly on the ground, and one of them, presumably the NCO, aimed his MP 40 at the man.

"What is it?" Karla asked, standing up and dusting herself down. She then cast a glance at the three men. "Oh…" She frowned then walked towards them. Maho instantly knew in her heart what she was going to do, and followed suit.

Karla walked over and stood in front of the NCO, blocking his shot at the man. "What, do you think you are doing?" She whispered as other two soldiers exchanged bewildered glances at one another. He frowned and stood up at his fullest height, so that he was taller than Karla by about half a head.

"Doing my job as a soldier. Killing this communist scum." He growled. "Unlike you tank crewmen. You don't see the true horrors of war. You're safe in those Tigers of yours. Now get out of the way." He added, pointing his weapon at Karla menacingly.

By now, there was a sense of tension in the air. Clouds had gathered overhead, wiping away the gentle sunset and blue skies; replaced by a sea of dark grey thunderclouds, the wind was picking up from a gentle breeze to a rather gusty gale.

"I will not allow you to kill him." Karla replied calmly, standing her ground against the soldier threatening her, her hand slowly moving towards her holster.

"Move. Now." The man growled again, and the two other soldiers moved menacingly towards her. Maho raised her StG 44 and aimed it at them.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." She muttered. "First. You." He looked at the NCO. "You owe Leutnant Brun an apology. In fact. You are insulting a commissioned officer. I have the right to court martial you." The man snarled.

"I don't take orders from you women." He muttered. Maho rolled her eyes in contempt and moved slowly, yet menacingly towards him.

"You either move away, or I will shoot you, and your two other soldiers." She whispered with deadly intensity. "The choice is yours. And for your information, I have beaten up soldiers like you who insult women officers like me. You don't have to believe me, but I'd rather you do, unless you'd want several broken ribs and a broken nose. " She whispered again.

The man frowned at her, before moving away and lowering his weapon. "Why can't we kill him? He's a rotten piece of communist filth." Karla stepped forward, and looked at the man directly.

"One day, history will judge us on the actions we have done in this war. Do you want to be seen as a monster who recklessly murders any Soviet soldier you see? Or do you want to be seen as a hero of the Reich, one of the many unsung heroes of the Eastern front who fought the Soviets to protect the fatherland?" She whispered gently. The man sighed, and nodded reluctantly.

"Still… what should we do to him then?" He asked slowly. Maho moved towards the prisoner and roughly took his Pilotka off his head and examined it.

"The man is from a punishment battalion." She stated. Seeing the other three men look at each other in confusion, she sighed. "Have you no experience at the Eastern Front? Look at his pilotka. There is no red star on the front of it. This shows he is from a punishment battalion. He's probably going to be used to perform dangerous tasks. We should interrogate him. You three will escort him, and take him back to HQ for questioning." She ordered. The men nodded reluctantly and escorted him away. She watched them walk down the hill towards where their infantry transport trucks were, before turning to Karla. "Well. That settles it, I guess." She whispered.

"Mm. At least I saved him." Karla replied. "I just… didn't want to see him die like that." She whispered. "And, he also could be of some use in giving any information for possible counter offensives." Maho nodded in response, but didn't reply. Instead she had closed her eyes, her mind was hard at work; thinking hard. Something did not seem right.

'Why now? That soldier could've ran towards our line anytime. But why now…?' She pondered to herself. 'Unless something big was going to happen…' She thought hard for a moment, then something dawned upon her; she gasped then her eyes flung open. "Of course…" She whispered shakily. "Why would he have ran unless that was going to happen…" Maho mumbled. "Something big is going to happen." She looked around. The area was relatively quiet, with the occasional jumble of voices emanating from the infantry trenches. She then looked behind her. The tank crewmen were relaxing, getting some rest after a long few days of hard fighting.

'It is only a matter of time, I guess...'

* * *

 _12_ _th_ _July, 1943. 2200 hours._

The sun soon slipped down below the horizon, drowning them in a sea of near blackness; only the slightest slither of light from the horizon could be seen. The moon soon gave Maho the smallest amount of light, just enough for her to see Karla a few meters ahead of her.

"Did you see that?"

Karla's voice suddenly sounded. Maho looked at her, bewilderment etched on her face. Karla's dark silhouette turned to face her. "I thought I saw a flash of light in the sky." She whispered.

"Hm?" Maho queried. She looked up at the sky, but saw nothing but the dark night sky, and the gentle twinkle of several stars. "A flash of light in the sky?" She asked, looking at Karla. "I don't see anything."

"I definitely saw something though!" Karla replied. She suddenly looked up as another bright flash of light illuminated her face and the surrounding area. "There!" She pointed up at the sky. "See that?"

Maho looked up, and sure enough; there was a bright ball of light rising up into the air going towards them, before slowing down and fizzling out. But just as one went away, another white ball of light flew into the air. Another rose into the air, then another. Maho stumbled back a few steps. "This doesn't look good…" She whispered. She looked over at the horizon. Without warning, the entire horizon began flashing with a dim orangey red light. In her heart, Maho knew what was coming. She quickly grabbed Karla's hand and dragged her back towards their tanks. "Enemy artillery! Get down!" She yelled to the other tank crewmen, diving into a makeshift foxhole they'd made the day before just as the whistling of the artillery shells and the howling of the Katyusha rockets got louder and louder. Hearing her last minute warning, the men and women instantly ran and took cover in their foxholes. They were lucky. Seconds later, the gate to hell seemed to open in front of Maho's eyes. Fireballs erupted as the shells and rockets impacted the ground; massive concussion waves knocking Maho down deeper into her foxhole. The sound of the explosion was deafening. Over it all, she could hear Karla's deathly scream; panic and absolute terror echoed in her voice and was terror etched across her face. She curled up tightly, screaming and crying.

"I-I'm scared Maho!" She sobbed. "I'm going to die! I'm sure of it!" She cried out, before curling up again.

Maho shook her head, trying to remain calm over the intensity of the hell that was unfolding around them right now. She gently held Karla's hand and pulled her close. "It's okay, Karla… It's okay." She whispered over the din. "You're not going to die. Not now." She forced a smile. "I promise."

Hearing her words, Karla began to calm down slightly. Her crying soon became stifled sniffs, and she dried her eyes with her sleeve. "W-What's going to happen now?" She asked timidly, flinching badly every time a shell impacted close to them; showering the air with rocks and soil. Maho sighed.

"First, we wait for the shelling to stop. Then, prepare for a Soviet counterattack. God help us then." She whispered solemnly. "We only have 5 Tigers and two companies of men. That'll make our total strength around 430 infantry soldiers and us. We'll be dead meat." She sighed hopelessly. "No matter what though, we won't give up this position without a fight. I won't let them take this hill." Karla nodded slowly.

"We'll try out best." She whispered.

* * *

About an hour later, the shelling stopped as abruptly as it began. There was an intense, eerie silence after the echo of the final explosion died away. The smell of gunpowder hit their nostrils, and there was a hazy grey mist lying around the area. Maho slowly crept up to her feet and took a look round. All over, there were shell craters all along the ground, scarring the hill and surrounding area for as far she could see. She stood up. Their Tigers were intact, thankfully. She took a look at the infantry trenches; they weren't badly damaged, but she could hear the screams and cries of pain from the wounded.

"Let's get back into our Tigers. Let's go. I'll alert the infantry to stand by for an enemy counterattack. Here's the plan. You will take three Tigers and cover the infantry's left flank. I'll take the remaining Tigers and cover the right." She ordered, brushing herself off before heading towards the infantry trenches. Karla stood up and looked at the other tank crewmen in their foxholes.

"You heard the Leutnant, let's move!" She commanded. "Prepare your Tigers for another skirmish! Check everything is working!"

"Jawohl, Leutnant!" They responded and ran back to their Tigers, getting them ready for combat once more.

A few minutes later, Maho climbed into her Tiger. "I've told the infantry to be on high alert for an enemy attack. Leutnant Brun will lead two other Tigers onto the infantry's left flank; we will take the right flank. We'll give supporting fire when the counterattack does come. Ernst. Find us a bush, or some cover so we are camouflaged. I don't want the Soviet's to know we've got Tigers in this area. Erika, stay on high alert. I know it's dark, but, if you see anything that resembles a KV-1 or a T-34, you have my permission to engage. Everyone clear?" She asked. Her crew nodded.

"Aye, Leutnant." They all replied shakily; as they were still getting over the initial adrenaline rush of being bombarded by crowd artillery.

"Good." Maho nodded. Let's move out. We need to be ready." She stated, before speaking into the radio. "Leutnant Brun, do you copy?"

"Yes, I copy Leutnant, loud and clear." She replied, although her voice was rather muffled by the static. "Are you in position, on the infantry's right flank?"

Maho was about to reply when another voice crackled over the radio. This time, it was Erwin's voice, which took Maho by surprise.

"Leutnant Brun, Leutnant Ketler. What's your status?" Erwin asked over the radio. "Is everybody alright?"

"Aye, Hauptmann. Leutnant Ketler and I are fine. The infantry have some wounded, but they remain fully operational. We plan to hold our positions, and are making preparations to face an armoured attack." Karla responded quickly.

"Good. I'm glad to hear th-"

"But we have a problem." Maho suddenly interrupted. "If the Soviets do mount a counterattack, we will be hopelessly outnumbered. We won't be able to hold our positions for even an hour. We have five Tigers, and two companies of men. It'll be a total massacre. Also, we don't know whether it's a counteroffensive, or just a counterattack. But judging by the barrage, it looks likely it's a Soviet counteroffensive."

Erwin thought about it for a while before replying. "You have a point, Leutnant. But these are your orders; Hold onto the hill for as long as possible. We cannot retreat. No matter what. Our other forces shall do the same. I cannot allow a breach to be made on our line; if they get behind us and encircle our forces, we're doomed. Clear?"

"But, we don't have enough forces to withstand such an attack!" Maho protested desperately. "We'll be just sitting ducks!"

Erwin let out a deep sigh. "I understand your frustration, Leutnant. But orders are orders. Got it?" She asked.

"Aye, Hauptmann." Both Karla and Maho responded slowly.

"Good luck to you both." Erwin stated, before cutting off, leaving them in deadly silence.

Maho sighed. She was uncertain of this decision, but she couldn't argue with it; she had to obey orders, even if they didn't make sense or meant certain death. That was what she was trained for; to fight, to obey orders without hesitation, and to die for the Reich. She opened the commander's hatch and took a look around; the cool evening air hit her in the face as she stood up. "What do we do now…?" She mumbled.

"We wait for it to come." Erika responded slowly, taking out the photograph of her younger sister, and staring at it. Felix got up and started throwing out the empty shell casings out of the tank; the clang of metal against metal breaking the sombre silence around them. But all too soon, the deadly silence had encompassed the inhabitants of the Tiger once more.

Maho stood there, staring outside into the dark night, totally silent. She took out her binoculars and looked down the hill. There was no movement. No screeching of tank tracks, nor the battle cry of Soviet soldiers. She felt a chill run up her spine. She was cold, yes. But it felt different; as if her body wanted to tell her something. She shivered as the wind picked up, taking one last glance before sitting down and closing the commander's hatch. "What's the time, anyone?" She muttered slowly.

"Just past 2320 hours, Leutnant." Erika quickly replied. Her voice was shaky; a definite sense of unease was taking over them.

Over on the left flank, Karla shuffled restlessly in her seat. She knew that an attack was going to happen. 'But when?' She thought to herself. She opened the commander's hatch to take a quick look, when a white flare shot up from the horizon, illuminating their position. Another white ball of light flew up into the air towards their position, lighting up the area for a minute or two before fizzling out again. She knew it was coming. "All units prepare for an imminent attack. Be on the lookout for any movement down the hill." She spoke into the radio.

Hearing Karla's voice, Maho noticed something unusual about it. Despite the usual calmness that Karla's voice usually inherited, there was a slight waver in her voice, and it was slightly shaky. Maho knew Karla was scared. She closed her eyes, clearing her mind of any thoughts as she heard the screaming of artillery shells get louder and louder, the subsequent explosions throwing her off balance as they were rocked around by the shockwaves.

"Movement spotted down the hill! T-34s, KV-1s and infantry!" A voice shouted over the radio. Maho could register it was Karla's voice, and her eyes snapped open.

"Everyone ready to go?" She asked quietly, adrenaline starting to pump around her body. Erika turned round slowly.

"Like you even have to ask, Leutnant." She whispered, as Felix rammed a fresh Amour Piercing shell into the cannon breech.

The shelling was relentless now, but over the din of the explosions, the squeaking of the tank tracks of countless T-34 and KV-1s could be evidently heard, as well as the shouting of the Soviet infantry going "Uraa!"

Through the hazy smoke from the shelling, Maho could see tracer rounds firing all over the place, the explosions of artillery shells creating massive fireballs in the pitch blackness. The soldiers dug in in their trenches fired furiously at the rushing Soviet infantry; cutting down the first few that crested the ridge of the hill. She could see muzzle flashes coming from the left flank, as Karla's Tigers opened up on the sea of Soviet tanks; the shells finding their mark, leaving only charred and burning T-34s in their wake. She saw two KV-1s advancing directly towards their position. She knew what had to be done. "Erika, two KV-1s and infantry at our 12 o'clock. Distance, 400m."

Erika traversed the turret as quickly as she could, before aiming down her sights. "Targets spotted!"

"Fire!"

Erika pressed the trigger, and the shell hurtled out of the barrel at supersonic speeds, striking the first KV-1 squarely in the turret. The subsequent fireball indicated that they had blown up the ammo stored inside the tank. The few unlucky infantrymen who were too close to the tank soon got engulfed in fire; their comrades desperately trying to put them out as they rolled around on the floor, writing. Seconds later, the second KV-1 took a hit to the front, and shuddered to a halt.

Maho looked around. A group of infantrymen and a T-34 were going around, trying to flank her Tiger. "Erika. You take out the T-34. Tiger 231, take out the infantry with a HE shell." She ordered.

The accompanying Tiger next to Maho's opened up on the infantry with a burst of machine gun fire, before annihilating the remnants of the squad with a HE shell. Moments later, flames shot out of the T-34 as Erika shot and made the ammo cook-off inside the tank.

Maho kept on giving orders, but everything seemed almost surreal; almost as if she were in a dream. A song came into her mind, and she couldn't help but hum to the tune of the song and quietly mouth the lyrics:

 _Ob's stürmt oder schneit, ob die Sonne uns lacht,_

 _Der Tag glühend heiß, oder eiskalt die Nacht,_

 _Bestaubt sind die Gesichter, doch froh ist unser Sinn, ja, unser Sinn._

 _Es braust unser Panzer im Sturmwind dahin._

"We're running low on ammo!" Felix shouted, as Erika quickly discharged another round down the hill, hitting a KV-1 in the turret. Maho shook her head.

"We need to keep fighting! Christian, cut anything down that moves!" She ordered, as an artillery shell exploded near them, throwing Maho off balance. She stood up and opened the commander's hatch, but ducked down as a shell bounced off the turret, sparks flying off as it ricocheted. A frantic voice cut through on the radio. It was the one of the company COs'.

"We can't hold them out for much longer! Most of our company is dead! There's too many of the-" A shriek of an artillery shell and the consequent explosion silenced the man; afterwards, the screaming of pain of two or three men was all they heard on the radio.

 _Mit donnerndem Motor, geschwind wie der Blitz,_

 _Dem Feinde entgegen, im Panzer geschützt_

 _Voraus den Kameraden, im Kampfe stehn wir allein, stehn wir allein._

 _So stoßen wir tief in die feindlichen Reih'n!_

Christian let out a burst of machine gun fire, cutting down a few infantry that were nearing the hilltop. "I'm running out of ammo!" He shouted as he grabbed another belt of machine gun ammo. Seconds later, another voice crackled through the radio.

"We're all out of Amour Piercing shells! Tiger 231 and 233 are also running critically low of ammo!" The man shouted. Maho punched the side of the turret in frustration. "Karla, what should we do?" She asked, her voice expressionless and cold as multiple tank rounds slammed into their Tiger, only to ricochet off. Erika traversed the turret and fired; hitting another T-34 and sending that one into flames.

"Rounds depleted!" Felix shouted over the endless din of explosions, gunfire and overall chaos. "We won't be able to hold them for much longer!" Maho sighed and took out her StG 44, loading a fresh magazine into it.

"Leutnant Brun, what are our orders!" She spoke firmly into the radio. "We can't hold up against the onslaught for much longer!" She opened the commander's hatch and looked at the hell around them. Cresting the ridge were a dozen burnt out T-34 tanks, and Soviet infantry lay motionless all around. The trenches they had occupied were full of German corpses, and the tattered remnants of the two companies were stumbling back towards her Tiger; few had survived the carnage. Through the smoke, she could see several men falling back, only to be met with a massive explosion as a shell impacted in front of them. When the smoke and earth cleared, all Maho could see was one man slowly limping away; missing an arm and part of his face. He stumbled a few more steps before collapsing down on the ground, never to rise again.

 _Wenn vor uns ein feindlicher Panzer erscheint,_

 _Wird Vollgas gegeben und ran an den Feind._

 _Was gilt denn unser Leben für uns'res Reiches Heer? Ja, Reiches Heer._

 _Für Deutschland zu sterben ist uns're höchste Ehr'._

"I-I've told the infantry to retreat back to Soborwka. We have to retreat, even if it means leaving this hill. We've taken too many losses." Karla spoke shakily. "Can I trust you to cover our retreat?" Maho nodded reluctantly, but she knew the chance of success were slim, if not almost impossible. They were out of Amour Piercing and High Explosive rounds, had only a few belts of machine gun ammunition left, and their own handheld weapons. What was going on through her mind? How would she ever manage to cover their retreat just like that? She coughed, the smoke getting into her nostrils and throat. Her throat was so dry she could hardly swallow. The sickly sweet smell of blood was lingering through the air, stinging her nostrils with the scent of death.

 _Mit Sperren und Minen hält der Gegner uns auf,_

 _Wir lachen darüber und fahren nicht drauf._

 _Und droh'n vor uns Geschütze versteckt im gelben Sand, Ja, gelben Sand._

 _Wir suchen uns Wege, die keiner sonst fand._

"I'll give it my best." She stated, before picking up her StG 44 and unloading a few rounds downrange. A couple of soldiers fell, one clutching his stomach as red spread along his front. "Ernst, we're covering the infantry and Karla's retreat Keep us in a spearhead formation so they won't break through." She muttered as the remaining two Tigers; Tigers 233 and 231 started unloading what machine gun ammunition they had left at the advancing infantry. The hail of bullets cut down a lot of the infantry, but more and more kept on cresting the ridgeline. Bullets pinged off the top of the turret, causing Maho to duck down once more.

"I'm out!" Christian shouted, loading one final belt of machine gun ammo into the MG34. This is my last belt!"

"We're out of machine gun ammunition! Tiger 233 is also out!" Another voice shouted through the radio. Maho sighed.

"This is it, I guess. That's the most we could do. Ernst, we're retreating back to Soborwka. 223 and 231, follow our lead. We're retreating."

"Aye, Leutnant!" They replied, and they soon turned round and began heading down the hill. Maho took a look on her map, then nodded to herself. She then tuned the radio to request artillery fire.

"This is Leutnant Brun from the 505th Heavy Tank Battalion! Requesting artillery fire on hill 25.2. Left, 200. Drop, 100. Fire for effect. I repeat. Requesting artillery fire on hill 25.2. Left, 200, Drop, 100. Fire for effect." She ordered. A voice soon crackled in response.

"That's our own positions!" The man protested. Maho frowned.

"It _was_ our positions, but the Soviets have attacked and we cannot hold it any further. We're retreating back to Soborwka. Will you kindly hit the hill with artillery before we get massacred?" She muttered slowly.

"Aye. Engaging hill 25.2. Left, 200, Drop, 100. Fire for effect." The man stated quickly.

Maho quickly switched back their own frequency. "Hauptmann Brandt, this is Leutnant Ketler. We're falling back to Soborwka. We've taken heavy infantry losses and have to pull back to prevent being encircled." She stated solemnly.

"Roger that. We've just reached Soborwka. Our flank has fallen and has been overrun." Erwin responded. "How many casualties?"

Maho sighed. "The two companies of infantry have nearly been totally destroyed. I guess less than 30 survivors. The rest are dead. The five Tigers are operational, but damaged by shells."

"Shit. This is bad." Erwin cursed, before cutting off.

As they drove down the hill, an artillery shell screamed overhead and hit the top of the hill. Followed by another then another, explosions engulfing the top of slopes of the hill. As the Teploje hills grew smaller and smaller as they travelled further away, Maho breathed a sigh of relief. 'At least we're safe. For now.' She thought to herself. She sat back down in her seat, and hung her head, exhaustion slowly taking over her. "How far to Soborwka?" She mumbled.

"About 15km, Leutnant." Ernst responded. "Don't worry. We'll make it." He added quietly seeing Maho's face filled with worry.

 _Und läßt uns im Stich einst das treulose Glück,_

 _Und kehren wir nicht mehr zur Heimat zurück,_

 _Trifft uns die Todeskugel, ruft uns das Schicksal ab, ja, Schicksal ab._

 _Dann wird unser Panzer ein ehernes Grab!_

"Okay…" Maho whispered, forcing herself to stay awake, the tune in her head slowly dying away. She looked down at her hands. They were dirty, pale and shaking. She looked at her crew. They were all silent; each had the look of exhaustion etched on their faces. They all have had enough. All of them were tired. All of them needed rest and a respite from this war. Long gone were the happy smiles and laughter that used to echo inside the tank. Long gone was the sense that victory could be achieved. Instead, it was replaced with a quiet sense of foreboding and an ever present feeling of fear. Maho sighed.

'I guess this is the beginning of the end.'

* * *

Notes:

Sorry for the long delay of updating this fanfic. As I said in the update, I have been very busy, and shall continue being like this for some time. So thank you all for your patience. I hope you enjoy this chapter :)

 **As always, any reviews with constructive criticism would be welcome.**

 **If you've enjoyed what you've read, and want to know what happens next, or if you're just interested in my writing, don't hesitate to favourite and follow! It also helps me know what I'm writing you find enjoyable.**

* * *

If you didn't know what the song was, it was the German Panzerlied. If you want to know the english translation of the song, here it is:

* * *

 _Whether it storms or snows, or the sun smiles on us,_

 _The day burning hot, or the icy cold of night._

 _Dusty are our faces, but happy is our mind, yes, our mind._

 _Then roar our tanks in the storm's wind_

* * *

 _With thundering engines, too fast as lightning,_

 _Towards the enemy, sheltered in the tank._

 _Ahead of our comrades, In the fight all alone, yes all alone._

 _So we push deep into the enemy lines!_

* * *

 _When before us a hostile tank appears,_

 _Full throttle is given and we close with the enemy._

 _What does our life matter for the Reich's army? Yes, Reich's army._

 _To die for Germany is our highest honor._

* * *

 _With barriers and tanks the foe blocks our path,_

 _We laugh about it and don't drive upon them._

 _And even if their hand shakes morosely and furiously, yes their hand._

 _We search for ways, that no one else found._

* * *

 _And if we are abandoned by treacherous luck,_

 _And if we don't return home again,_

 _If death's bullet finds us, and fate calls us away, yes, us away._

 _Then our tank shall become an iron grave!_


	12. Chapter 12: A Difficult Choice

**Chapter 12: A Difficult Choice**

13th July, 1943. 0100 hours.

 _'Two girls were running down the hill together. One was taller than the other. She had blond hair, and a thin stature. The other was slightly shorter, and had dark brown hair. The sun shone down gently onto their backs, the sky as blue as the ocean. Songbirds tweeting their tunes from the trees above._

 _"Can't catch me, can't you?" She teased, grinning as she looked back at the latter that was falling behind._

 _"W-Wait!" The other pleaded, running down the hill as fast as her legs could carry her. She suddenly lost her footing. "No!" She cried out, before tripping over and tumbling down the hill; coming to a rest a few meters away from the other girl. "Ow-w…" She whispered, sitting up and pulling her skirt above her knees, revealing a rather deep cut; blood slowly dribbling out from the wound. The other girl turned round. Seeing the blood, her eyes widened._

 _"Are you okay, Maho?"_

 _The latter nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'm okay Erwin." Maho responded, blinking away the few tears that were forming in her eyes ._

 _Erwin quickly ran up to her and sat down, putting a comforting arm around her. "It looks nasty. Shouldn't we go get it looked at?"_

 _"I'll be fine Erwin, don't worry. I'll get it checked later." Maho replied, standing up and dusting herself down. She stared off into the horizon. Erwin stood up next to her._

 _"What is it?"_

 _"Nothing. I'm just, thinking." Maho answered. "Just thinking how I've never realised how beautiful this place is… The hills, trees, the birds tweeting in the trees, the tranquillity of it all, really." Erwin moved slightly closer, her hand clasping around Maho's._

 _"So true… It's beautiful, isn't i-ahhH!"_

 _Erwin screamed as Maho playfully tackled her to the ground. They wriggled around for a bit, each trying to gain the upper hand from the other. A victor was soon clear; Erwin was kneeling down; pinning Maho down with her hands and legs. "Really?" She grinned. "You thought you could win?"_

 _Maho smirked. "I had to try. But, you're at an advantage. You're older than me. You're 19." Erwin rolled her eyes._

 _"I'm only a year older. That's not an advantage." She whispered as she gently leaned forward; her face getting closer to Maho's._

 _Maho felt an odd feeling run down her spine. She sat up slightly. "It is…" She protested, but Erwin shook her head and moved closer, putting a finger to Maho's lips. The odd feeling intensified._

 _"Shh. I win, okay?" Erwin grinned. She stood up and pulled Maho to her feet. Maho nodded in thanks, then paused._

 _"When will you enlist?" She asked suddenly. "Into the panzerwaffe." She added, seeing Erwin give her a quizzical look._

 _"Oh. That." Erwin thought for a moment. "I'll enlist when you do. You want to do your part for the fatherland, right?"_

 _Maho nodded. "Yeah." She replied. She was suddenly pulled forward by Erwin. Seeing her facial expression, Maho sighed. "What's wrong?" She asked gently._

 _"I… I want you to promise something. Maho." Erwin replied quietly. "And I want you to keep that promise for as long you're in the panzerwaffe." She whispered. Maho nodded gently as their eyes locked upon one another._

 _"And what will that-"_

* * *

"2 km to go and we'll be back at Soborwka." Ernst spoke abruptly.

Maho jolted up in her seat, her eyes slowly opening as she awoke from her gentle slumber. "Hm…?" She mumbled sleepily, finding it hard to stay awake. 'What was that dream…?' She thought wearily. The dream was vivid, but the events were quickly falling away from her memory. She tried to recount the events, but they had slipped out of her mind.

Slowly, her conscious mind began to gear up again. She sat up rubbing her eyes several times before becoming aware of the tense, ominous silence in the Tiger. Her mind began to race. How long had she been asleep for? How far could the Soviets have travelled in the time she had fallen asleep? She sighed, clearing those thoughts from her head for the time being. "How far to Soborwka?" She asked.

"Just under 1.5 km now, Leutnant." Ernst replied, breaking the silence momentarily.

Erika shuffled nervously in her seat, before looking once at Maho. Erika's face summarised all of the crews' thoughts and feelings in an instant. Fear. Uncertainty. Exhaustion. All three expressions etched on her face. "What's going to happen now?" She queried slowly, her voice drained of energy.

Maho took her time to think, before responding. "I don't know." She whispered. "There are a few possibilities; we either fight them out there, or we have to withdraw back to safer lines. But I doubt HQ will grant us permission to retreat."

The entire tank rocked as it went over bumpy ground, shaking up its inhabitants. As quiet fell upon them again, Maho's eyes began drooping slowly again. She was totally exhausted, thirsty, hungry… the dream… 'But now isn't the time to think about that.' She told herself, slapping her face gently in an effort to keep awake. "I have to focus…" She spoke quietly. "I can't let my concentration slip away… Not now-"

"Right, all units listen up." Karla's voice suddenly crackled through the radio. "We're nearly back. Once we get to Soborwka, we need to refuel and resupply… that's if there is any ammunition and fuel left. I've also been told by Hauptmann Brandt that every tank commander must report in the HQ once they get there. She and the other officers are to discuss plans on what to do now. Everyone clear on the orders?" She asked.

"Yes, Leutnant." The other tank commanders replied. Maho blinked, before replying quietly.

"Jawohl, Leutnant."

* * *

 _13_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0120 hours_

A crash of thunder and the sound of rain splashing against metal caused Maho to jolt awake; as if awakening from a nightmare. It took a few minutes for her to come to her senses. She had fallen asleep again. Slowly, she opened the commander's hatch and stood up, the heavy rain falling down onto her sidecap and jacket. There was a dark underlying haze surrounding their rendezvous, but she could tell they had arrived back at Soborwka as she could see the dim, eerie glow of headlights from other tanks. In front of her Tiger was Karla's Tiger, crawling slowly on the muddy road. Behind Maho, three other mud covered, battered Tigers crept along slowly behind hers.

As they entered the village, there was a Panzer regiment that had been deployed from reserve positions near Soborwka. They were moving off; the Panzer IV's getting into a column, the infantry boarding their transports and motorcycles.

'They are most probably being sent off to try and stop the advancing Soviets… to buy us time to plan our course of action…' Maho thought to herself. She couldn't help but notice how clean the Panzer IVs and Panzer IIIs were; not a single dent or chip in the armour could be seen, the tanks were as clean as if it had just come off the production line. The crewmen and infantry too; the men were clean shaven, their uniforms immaculate. But there was a feeling of apprehension in the air.

As their own column rolled into sight of the reserves, many paused to take a look; the Tigers were battered and covered in mud. Dents in the armour where shells had ricocheted off plastered the front hull and turret. A flash of lightning sharply illuminated Maho's silhouette. She herself was dirty; her top half of her torso was soaked because of the rain, her brown hair tangled and un-kept under her sidecap, her hands dirty; covered in mud, blood and grime. Maho's eyes locked onto a few tank crewmembers and soldiers; she gave them a tired, but curt nod, and was greeted with faces of shock; their eyes staring as the beleaguered Tiger column rolled on. No communication was needed to know how dire the situation had become. No questions were asked.

Maho sighed as their Tiger came to a stop next to the other Tigers from their battalion, her mind temporarily fixated on the men of the Panzer regiment who were moving off to hold a counterattack. She didn't pin her hopes on them miraculously holding off an entire tank brigade. By now, more tank brigades would have joined the fray, doubling or even tripling the amount of armour the Panzer regiment had to face. She couldn't instil any hope of success in the counterattack. All she knew was that the tide had turned against them; it was only a matter of time before the German forces on this front would be in full retreat. She sighed again, before looking at her crew. "What are you waiting for? Let's get out of here, resupply and stretch your legs out."

"Aye, Leutnant." They all replied.

Maho nodded slowly before climbing out of the Tiger, and jumping down onto the muddy ground. Erika, Christian and Felix quickly followed suit, whilst Ernst wriggled out of the driver's hatch. Still, the rain continued pouring down, followed by rumbles of thunder and the occasional white flash of lightening.

Maho turned walked a couple of paces forward, and then turned round to face them. "Right. Ernst, Christian. I need you to check if we have enough fuel, and make sure the coaxial machine gun has enough ammo. Felix, see if you can resupply some AP and HEAT shells. Erika, you're with me. You will be coming into the HQ with me. Everyone clear?"

They nodded quickly. "Jawohl, Leutnant."

Karla climbed out of her Tiger, followed by her crew. She walked over to Maho, who quickly turned round to face her. "Good job back there…" Karla whispered shakily, obviously still slightly shocked by all that had unfolded in the last few hours. "You saved their lives." She gestured to the remnants of the infantry company; many if not all being treated by a few doctors at the other end of the village. She gave a brief nod, and her crewmembers quickly walked away into the darkness to resupply their Tiger.

Maho, who was preoccupied in lighting a cigarette, could only nod once in thanks. She took a deep breath, before exhaling slowly and clicking her back, as she had been sat in the commander's seat for some time. "Don't thank me. It was your quick thinking that saved us." She stated. "If we fought on, we wouldn't have survived."

Karla shrugged. "Don't be so modest, Maho. You know you did well-"

"What about those who died? I couldn't save them. What about those who never made it back, because of my incompetence?" She replied bluntly, taking one last drag of the cigarette before throwing into a muddy puddle beside her and stamping it out with her left boot. "I almost allowed an entire company be decimated. How can you say I did well?" She questioned coldly.

"I didn't mean it like that Maho." Karla whispered, slightly startled by Maho's reply. "You did everything you could have done. Okay? You did what you were supposed to do. At least some men got back here, alive. Better than none."

"Leutnant Ketler is right, Maho." Erika joined in. "There was nothing more you could have done back there." She stated gently.

Maho sighed, and nodded. Arguing with Erika and Karla wouldn't have made the situation any better. Instead, Maho forced a smile, attempting to lighten up her own mood. "Come on. Erwin wants to see us at HQ." She quickly turned round and took out a cigarette, giving it to Karla. "You want a smoke?" She asked slowly.

Seeing Karla nod, Maho passed the cigarette into Karla's hands, and watched her light it. A small orange glow grew from the end of the cigarette, giving them the smallest slither of light. Something caught Maho's eye. Karla seemed calm and collected, yet, her hands were shaking. Was it the cold? Yes, they were soaked from head to toe in rain, with water dripping off the ends of their drenched, un-kept hair, their jackets wet through from standing in this thunderstorm. Another loud rumble of thunder sounded overhead, causing Karla to jolt slightly. She shivered, taking in a breath before exhaling; a small sense of calm slowly coming over her.

Maho turned her head as she heard the door of one of the houses, which was converted into a makeshift HQ, open. Erwin came out, quickly shutting the door and walking towards them.

"Leutnant Brun, I need you inside." She looked at Erika. "You too." She gestured towards the door. "I want a word with Leutnant Ketler, in private." She muttered coldly. Maho could sense something was different. This wasn't the usual Erwin she knew so well. There was almost a plea for help emanating from within her eyes.

Both Karla and Erika nodded quickly, and entered the house, leaving Maho and Erwin in the pouring rain. Maho could sense Erwin was stressed; she was constantly fidgeting with her hair, which was a tell-tale sign for her. Maho slowly took out her packet of cigarettes and tossed it to Erwin. She caught it and nodded in thanks, before taking one out, lighting it and taking a deep breath. A few moments of quiet followed.

"So, what do you want to talk to me about?" Maho asked slowly. Erwin exhaled before shaking her head.

"I don't know what to do, Maho." She whispered, a slight waver in her voice. "The Soviets are planning a pincer manoeuvre, I know it. But what should we do?" She asked. "Fight them off and get encircled? Or do we go against the Führers' orders and retreat? I don't know…" She sighed, throwing her cigarette on the floor in frustration. "All of the officers have a different opinion. And they're all arguing amongst each other."

Maho nodded in understanding. "It's okay Erwin." She replied slowly. "Every commander gets a bad day once in a while. I'll come with you and discuss it with them. How about that?" Erwin nodded.

"Okay."

* * *

As they opened the door and into the room, all they could hear was raised voices and chaos. Several officers were arguing amongst themselves, whilst others were shouting at each other whilst pointing at the large map of their sector that was situated on the table; all arguing against one another. Karla and Erika were in the corner; obviously worried and (slightly) frightened at what was unfolding around them.

 _"How can we retreat when this is a strongpoint?! We can fight them-"_

 _"How can we fight them off with the forces we have now! It's almost suicide! We have to retr-"_

 _"We can't retreat! The generals haven't given us permission to! We could be court martia-"_

 _"They can court martial me if all I care! We cannot hold our positions with our given strength! We must withdra-"_

 _"How can the Soviets take control of the northern and southern sector of Teploje?! We had two panzer divisions and infantry holding that position!"_

 _"Isn't it obvious they have been forced back into a retreat? They're performing a counteroffensive you moron!"_

Maho sighed, and gestured to her holster. Erwin nodded. Maho casually took out her Luger, pointed it at the ceiling and shot once.

The sudden crack of the gunshot echoed around the room, causing everyone to jolt and look at Maho. As the echo died away, all that remained was silence.

"Now is not the time to argue." Maho stated coldly, putting her Luger back in its holster and walking forward. "We have a dire situation on our hands. So, Hauptmann Brandt would like your full cooperation. Hauptmann." She looked at Erwin and gestured to the table.

Erwin nodded in thanks before stepping forward. "Now, as Leutnant Ketler has said, this isn't the time to argue and bicker." She pointed at the eastern and western flank of Soborwka on the map. "Initial encounters with the Soviets estimate that we have four tank brigades and six infantry regiments heading toward our positions. As well as cooperating with the local artillery and katyusha divisions for extra support." She stated. "Our current forces defending Soborwka are as stated: 23 operational Tigers from the 505th Heavy Tank Battalion, two companies from the 6th infantry division and one company from the 4th Panzer division, which has just gone forward to engage the Soviet forces."

"We have to stand and fight!" One of the infantry officers shouted out. Erwin looked at him sharply.

"Quiet. I'm speaking." She muttered. "From how the Soviets are moving, they should be performing a-"

"Pincer maneuverer to encircle us, and possibly the entire 9th army." Maho cut in, pointing at the positions manned to the left of Soborwka. "Our left flank is weak. It's only held by two battalions. They have no panzers for support. Reserves are on the way, but they will not reach their positions till 24 hours today." She sighed. "Two infantry companies against two tank brigades and three infantry regiments. They'll be lucky to hold out for more than an hour."

"What about our right flank?" Erika asked.

Maho stared at the right flank, and her heart sank. 'Only one tank battalion from the 4th Panzers, and an infantry regiment?' She thought to herself. 'No wonder the entire sector may collapse… They are so lightly defended.'

Erwin rubbed her eyes. "Our right flank isn't well protected either. We've suffered substantial losses during this offensive, and these are the only frontline troops we have left. Reserves are being sent in, but they won't make it till tomorrow afternoon."

"We don't have that long. The Soviets will be here in a few hours." One officer muttered.

Erika frowned. "Well what should we do?" She stated coldly. "The Soviets are literally on our doorstep. We've only two choices. We either fight, or we withdraw back to our reserve positions."

"Hm. Withdrawing would seem the correct idea, since we won't stand a chance against them." Erwin began. "But we have to fight-"

"Because the generals have said we are to hold our ground." Maho finished her sentence off. "But Hauptmann Brandt is right. We need to withdraw."

"No!" One infantry officer, who was tall and rather heavily built stepped forward. "We must fight till the very end! This is what the Führer wants!" He shouted, and several others joined in.

"How can we be proud as Germans, if we scatter in the face of such vermin like them?!" Another yelled as others nodded in agreement.

Maho frowned. "This isn't about personal honour-"

"Dying on the battlefield is the greatest honour a soldier of the Wehrmacht can have!" The man replied. "It is what our Führer wa-"

Erwin slammed her fist onto the table in frustration. "So you'd rather die than live?!" She shouted. "I don't care what the Führer wants! I want to save our lives!" She pointed at the map. "Don't you see? It's pointless fighting them! You would rather let our wounded men die? How delusional can you men be!"

"What are you saying?!" The man growled, stepping forward and walking menacingly towards Erwin. Instantly, Maho grabbed her Luger and drew it, but two other officers pointed their pistols at her. Karla and Erika had done the same, but were in the same situation; they had several men pointing their rifles or pistols at them.

Erwin scowled at the man, remaining calm. "I'm saying that we need to withdraw."

"We are not. Withdrawing. Hauptmann." The man snarled. "You are a coward, Hauptmann, you know that?" The other officers smirked. "You are a traitor to the Reich. Thinking that retreating is a good idea?"

Erwin sighed. Their morale had sunken so low, the men were at the point of committing a mutiny. Yet, she stood her ground. "Tell you what, Feldwebel." She began. "If you step back, we'll think of a plan. And tell your friends to stop pointing their weapons at my officers." Her eyes narrowed. "Or, they'll just beat your officer friends up; easily. I have been assigned command of the 505th. You, the 6th Infantry division, have been attached to my battalion, so you follow my orders. You should listen to me. If you want to live." She muttered. "If not, so be it."

The man smirked, before stepping back from Erwin. The officers lowered their weapons and returned to their previous places around the table. "So, what do you propose, Hauptmann. Retreat? I guess that is the main option now." The man muttered.

Maho and Erwin looked at the map. Maho spoke first. "We can withdraw through our left flank. There is a steep rise about 4km from where we are, which should slow down the Soviet armour. And judging from the rain, it will be rather muddy and slippery too."

"Leutnant Ketler is right. As long as the left flank holds their position, we should be able to allow our forces based here and to our immediate left and right flank to retreat." Erwin continued. "It may be a close call, but I guess we will ma-"

The door suddenly slammed open, and a signals officer ran in. "Sorry to disturb, but urgent radio message from HQ!" The man stated, panting heavily as he was out of breath. Erwin walked over and looked at him.

"What's the message?" She asked.

The man took several deep breaths. "HQ has received reports that the right flank has collapsed under relentless Soviet attacks. The 2nd infantry regiment and the Tank Battalion from the 4th Panzer division is retreating back to the reserve lines they had made before the offensive started. The two infantry battalions from the 12th Infantry Division have also reported they are engaging Soviet forces on the right flank."

"So… what is going to happen?" Erwin asked with a sinking heart.

The man sighed. "The Soviets will most likely swing to the west and attack the left flank from the rear. But they have to take Soborwka first. Their strength consists of four armoured tank brigades, and four infantry regiments. Due to the substantial artillery bombardments they've reported, we can expect the Soviets are cooperating with the local artillery and katyusha rocket divisions. They have split their forces in half, so two brigades and two infantry regiments are attacking on each flank. The Soviets will be here by sunrise, if not earlier. The generals have said to fight. Retreat is not permitted."

Erika gasped.

Maho took a step backwards in surprise.

Karla sighed.

The other officers looked at each other in disbelief and shock.

Erwin hung her head, nodding once. "I understand." She spoke quietly. "Thank you for the update."

* * *

 _13_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0230 hours_

A stunned, eerie silence wrapped around the room. The temperature of the room seemed to have dropped at least a dozen degrees. The silence was enveloping; Maho could hear each individual raindrop patter against the roof of the building. The mood within the occupants in the building became even more dismal. 'So we are nearly out of time…' She thought to herself. 'Is this the en-'

"W-What should we do then?"

A young officer stepped forward. He looked young; no more than 23 years old. 'Maybe no more than 20, even.' Maho reckoned. Everything the young man did emitted a strong sense of fear within him. He was shaking slightly. It was hard to notice, but he was shaking.

Erwin looked up and sighed. "What else can we do?" She admitted. "We need to withdraw our forces away from Soborwka before the Soviets come in and massacre us. Anyone contradict this?"

Not a single voice was heard.

"Alright. We need at least an hour or two to move everything onto trucks, get the infantry onto their transports and so on. The Tanks also need refuelling so they can make the journey back to our reserve positions." Erwin ordered. "So it is best if we begin now."

The officers nodded in understanding. But Maho saw something in her eyes. Something was unsettling her. More than usual. The next few words Erwin spoke allowed Maho to understand why.

"But I need a few people to volunteer to cover our retreat as the Soviets close in. We need to hold off the Soviet advance on here for as long as possible." Erwin sighed. "I know. It sounds suicidal. It is suicide. But, it will allow our forces to gain some distance away from the Soviets, therefore giving us a brief respite." She blinked and looked round the room. "Are there any volunteers?" She asked.

Utter silence.

Maho could see the officers look away as Erwin's gaze swept round the room. None of them had the courage to volunteer. Maho looked down. She couldn't go. No. She had a promise to fulfil. She couldn't go. Not that she wanted to though.

"Anyone?" Erwin asked again, becoming slightly agitated.

Again, a deadly silence swept the room. No one dared to speak up.

Erwin looked round. "Is there no one in this room who is brave enough?" She whispered, her voice pleading. "No one at all?" There was no resentment or anger in her voice. No sense of disappointment. Just… desperation. She sighed. "No one?" She whispered again.

"I'll go."

A loud murmur and a few glances of surprise swept round the room as the person spoke. Erwin's eyes widened in disbelief as she saw the person step forward. "…Maho?" She mouthed in utter shock.

"Yes, Hauptmann. I said I will go." Maho replied quietly, nodding.

"I will go."

"I will too."

Everyone turned round as Karla and Erika stood up and walked over to Maho, standing at her side. Erwin sighed. "Anyone else?" She asked.

Soon, a few more Tank Commanders and infantry officers stepped forward. Despite disagreeing with Erwin earlier, the man and his other officers also stepped forwards. "If we die, we die for the glory of the Reich." He muttered.

Erwin looked round at the small group who had stepped forwards. "You men and women are the bravest people I have ever known. I wish the generals were as brave as you lot." She gave a small, sad smile. "I am more than proud to have served with you." With that, she stood to attention, facing the group. All the remaining officers did the same. "You men and women shall become heroes of the Reich. Your bravery shall be known among the generations for protecting the fatherland." With that, she raised her right arm into the air. "Sieg Heil." The remaining officers did the same.

"Sieg Heil!"

Silence fell upon them immediately afterwards. Erwin faced the remaining officers. "You know what to do. Get your men ready to retreat. Destroy any equipment we cannot carry. Spread the word. We are falling back to our reserve positions. Clear?" She stated.

"Aye, Hauptmann." They replied, and they quickly filed out of the building. Erwin's attention turned to the remaining officers who had volunteered.

"Prepare your tanks and men for battle. We don't have long till the Soviets arrive. Time is of the essence. We need to set up an ambush. Gather as much ammunition as you can. Hold them off for as long as possible. If you do survive, retreat back to our reserve lines. Everyone clear?" She ordered.

"Yes, Hauptmann." They all responded. Erwin smiled faintly.

"Good. I wish you all the best of luck." She stated. "Let's go then."

* * *

Everyone quickly left the building swiftly. Maho followed suit, but was suddenly found being forcefully dragged by Erwin towards the back of the building. "Erwin? What are you doing!" She exclaimed in shock. Erwin pinned her against the back of the wall. The area was dark. Pitch black, even. Raised voices could be heard as the men rushed around to prepare for withdrawal. Thunder rumbled across the horizon as the rain continued falling steadily down on them. A few scattered explosions were heard as the men blew up or disabled equipment they deemed too heavy to take back.

Maho wriggled to try and throw off Erwin, but she couldn't. She sighed and gave up, looking into Erwin's eyes.

"What… are you thinking?" Erwin whispered.

Maho blinked, but looked deeper into her eyes. She seemed… pained. Sad. No. More than sad. Distressed. Fearful. More emotions flooded into her eyes. A sense of longing, her eyes pleading; as if she didn't want her to go. "I'm doing this so you can survive, Erwin." Maho answered. "So you can live."

"And you? You will die because you're putting up a stubborn resistance." Erwin spoke quietly.

Maho shook her head. "I won't die. I can't." She stated. "I have to survive."

"Will you though?" Erwin questioned, raising a brow. "Think realistically, Maho. Do you think you can actually survive a full onslaught and make it out alive?"

Maho sighed, and hung her head. "No." She whispered, shaking her head slowly.

Erwin looked at her, and put her hand on Maho's cheek. Her cheek was pallid and cold. "I guess this is how it all ends, hm?" She stated gently. "After all these years, have you forgotten?"

Nuzzling into Erwin's hand, Maho nodded.

Tears began to form in Erwin's eyes, as she pulled Maho closer to her. "I remember the time…" She began, smiling slightly before sniffing once. She quickly regained her composure. "I remember the time when we were in Paris, just after taking the city." She chuckled shakily. "You slipped when you were climbing out of your Panzer IV, and you fell right in front of our Battalion CO. And a few other high ranking officers. They didn't seem too impressed; did they."

Maho smiled once, nodding. "It was very embarrassing." She admitted. "But you got your tank stuck in the mud in Rzhev after you thought that the road was safe to travel across, remember? It took two recovery vehicles to pull it out. You were shouted at by our CO for… was it, an hour?"

Erwin nodded and forced a smile, but by now, she couldn't stop the tears from sliding down her cheeks. Maho slowly brushed them away with her thumb. "It's okay Erwin..." She whispered, pulling her into a tight hug. "Don't cry… We will meet again. Someday."

Erwin shook her head, wrapping her arms round Maho's hips, feeling her warm embrace. "W-What if you don't?" She asked fretfully. "What if you die?" Her silhouette shook slightly as she tried to stifle her sobs into Maho's shoulder.

Slowly, Maho looked at Erwin. "I will come back Erwin. I have to. One, because I've kept a promise to Miho to return… Secondly, I also made another promise. Don't you remember?" She suddenly stated, the events of the dream she had earlier suddenly flooding back into her memory as clear as day. "The promise we made all those years ago? At the bottom of the hill?"

Shakily, Erwin looked up. "Hm?"

"To never leave your side." Maho whispered. "To never leave you, Erwin."

A gentle smile broke onto Erwin's face. "So you've remembered after all..." She replied quietly.

Maho flashed a small smile. "We're still keeping this a secret from everyone else, right?" She asked casually, shivering once from the cold as the rain had soaked them from head to toe for the duration they were outside.

Moments of silence passed, before Erwin looked up at the woman opposite her. "Of course." She replied back, her hands moving up to Maho's back.

The rain had died down by now, and the night had fallen mostly silent. Moving closer to her, Maho could sense Erwin's heart gently beating against her own chest.

Moving one step closer, Erwin's face was inches away from Maho's. She noticed a scar on her forehead. For a fleeting moment, she wondered how Maho had gotten that scar, but it soon dawned on her. She remembered now. The wound was deeper than she anticipated it would be. Erwin could feel Maho's short, jagged breath on her face, as her arms locked around Maho tightly, leaving them only inches apart.

They paused for a moment, looking into one another's eyes; hesitating. Maho blinked once. She slowly leaned forward and their lips met. A sudden feeling rushed through her body like electricity, a soft, quiet moan emanating from her as she quickly lost herself to Erwin's soft lips and warm, comforting embrace as she threw her arms around Erwin's neck. Time seem to stop for her. This was total bliss. A heaven. A heaven compared to the utter hell they were entrapped in. She wanted it to last an eternity. To feel Erwin's soothing, warm embrace around her body. To taste her soft, smooth lips.

A sudden rumble of thunder caused them to break away momentarily. Erwin looked at the woman opposite her, before her lips locked with Maho's once more; her fingers running down the curve of Maho's spine, her hands slowly making their way down to the latter's waist. Maho responded by gently running her tongue against Erwin's lips tentatively; totally immersed in the moment. In her mind, the remnants of the dream replayed in her mind once more:

* * *

 _"I… I want you to promise something. Maho." Erwin replied quietly. "And I want you to keep that promise for as long you're in the panzerwaffe." She whispered. Maho nodded gently as their eyes locked upon one another._

 _"And what will that be?" She queried slowly._

 _Erwin took another step forward. A single skylark took off from the tree behind them, and flew off into the gentle, midday sun. "That you will never leave me." She stated. "So we will be together. To face everything the war may throw at us, together." She sighed, as her arms wrapped around Maho gently. "I just don't want to lose you." She whispered._

 _Looking up at Erwin slowly, Maho smiled. "I will try my best to adhere to the promise. I can guarantee you that." She replied, resting her head gently on Erwin's shoulder. Erwin smiled, a single tear sliding down to her cheek._

 _"Thank you…"_

* * *

 _13_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0345 hours_

Another rumble of thunder crashed around them, and it was over. Maho looked at Erwin. A flash of lightning illuminated her face with a deathly white, pale colour. Maho smiled once, before hugging her once more. "You need to go." She whispered to Erwin. "They'll be leaving soon. You need to lead the 505th out of here." Erwin shook her head.

"I'm not leaving." She stated firmly. Maho sighed. Arguing with her was pointless. The enemy was nearly upon them. They have little time left.

"Alright. I'll get the troops ready. You need to find a replacement commander for the time being." Maho ordered.

"I'm already on it." Erwin replied; walking back towards the centre of the village. "Oh and Maho," She began.

"Hm?"

"I'll be talking to the generals about recommending you an Iron Cross, Second Class. For your outstanding bravery on solely volunteering for the defence of Soborwka." Erwin spoke, flashing a small smile.

"I have no need for military awards." Maho calmly replied, before following behind her.

As they walked into the village square, it was full of the bustle of men getting into transport trucks, motorcycles and the rumbling of Tigers moving. The sounds of explosions were also heard; heavy equipment was being destroyed to prevent it falling into enemy hands.

Walking over to her Tiger, Maho could see Erika standing on top of the turret, with Felix's upper torso popping out of the commander's hatch. On top of the turret were boxes full of Armour Piercing shells; Soborwka had been a small ammo reserve after all, as it was a strongpoint in the front line. Christian trudged over along with Ernst; both carrying boxes of ammunition for the coaxial machine gun, MP40s, Maho's StG 44 and Lugers.

"How are we for supplies?" Maho asked briskly.

"20 Armour Piercing shells, about a dozen High Explosive Shells. There weren't a lot of shells left in reserve that were for our guns." Erika replied. "I made sure the rest of the Tigers have roughly the same amount by distributing them equally. We do have plenty of ammunition for the turret and coaxial machine guns though." She then turned to the infantry. "Karla had a look at the infantry that are staying. It turns out we have two machine gun teams, three snipers and about 40 infantrymen in total, as well as the three NCOs. She says that most of them are armed with Karabiner 98k rifles, whilst others are armed with the MP40s. They have taken most of the ammunition the remaining from the reserve, so ammunition shouldn't be a problem."

Maho nodded. "Okay. Oh. By the way," She began. "Hauptmann Brandt is staying and fighting with us."

Erika raised a brow. "Oh?"

"Because I feel we need as many experienced personnel defending Soborwka as we can."

A voice spoke from behind them. Erwin came out of the darkness, before walking over to Maho. "I've issued the order for the other soldiers and Tigers to begin pulling back to the reserve positions. I've also assigned Oberfeldwebel Dresdner as temporary battalion commander. He will become acting commander if I don't make it out alive. He has been serving with me for at least a year and a half. He should be fine leading the battalion." She added quickly, seeing Maho raise a brow.

Out of the corner of her eye, Maho could see the remaining infantry walk over. The man who'd pushed Erwin to the wall earlier, presumably the highest ranking NCO, saluted her quickly.

"What are our orders?" He asked.

A few meters ahead of them, the Tigers and the infantry that weren't staying were pulling out, their dark silhouettes slowly melting into the eternal blackness. The rumbling of engines slowly died away, soon encasing the remaining defenders with a deathly, eerie silence.

Maho turned round to face the man. She paused for a moment, before replying.

"Hold Soborwka at all costs."

* * *

Notes:

So here you go. Chapter 12 is up. Sorry for the wait. I've been busy revising for some mock exams, which start on 16th November.

I know that the relationship between Maho and Erwin isn't actually in the anime, nor was it acceptable in Nazi Germany, but since it's an AU, I felt that since they had been really close friends for a long time, that it should develop into a relationship. Whether you think that it is a good/bad thing, I'll leave it for you to decide.

We are coming to the end of this Panzer Diary... so I hope you have enjoyed it so far, and continue to enjoy my writing.

 **As always, any reviews with constructive criticism would be welcome.**

 **If you've enjoyed what you've read, and want to know what happens next, or if you're just interested in my writing, don't hesitate to favourite and follow! It also helps me know what I'm writing you find enjoyable.**


	13. Chapter 13: Dancing With Fate

**Chapter 13: Dancing with Fate**

13th July, 1943. 0400 hours.

The moon shone eerily down upon them; giving them the slightest slither of light. The ground remained waterlogged and muddy from the rain. The men and women stood silent momentarily, before Erwin spoke up. "Get the men into the HQ. We need to make a plan on how to defend this place."

"Jawohl, Hauptmann." They replied, before walking off towards the house; others going off into the near darkness to inform the others.

"Are you going to come?"

Maho suddenly turned round as Erwin gestured to follow her. She quickly nodded and strode alongside Erwin. "Do you have a plan?" She asked. Erwin nodded, but it was rather unconvincing.

"I think so. But will it work? That is the problem." She stated bluntly as she opened the door to the house; inside awaited the soldiers and tank crewmen that had decided to stay and defend the place. They quickly stood up at attention and saluted, before Erwin nodded curtly. She walked towards the table and folded the first map that was situated on the table; beneath it laid a detailed map of Soborwka, and the surrounding areas.

"Right, all of you. Listen up." She ordered. She pointed at the outskirts of the village. "We know that the area has been laid with anti-tank mines and S-Mines, as well as barbed wire, so the approaches to the village should be pretty well covered. Also," She pointed at the left flank of the village. "There is a rather steep rise there. It can be a vantage point-"

"-We can set up an ambush point there." One tank commander spoke up. Maho shook her head in disagreement.

"Yes, it is an ambush point. But isn't it too open? There is barely any cover there. I know this village is situated on a shallow hill, but we'll be easily seen when the sun rises." She looked round, as a murmur of agreement swept round the room. "I would suggest here." She pointed at further down the map, where there was a thick line of bushes and long grass. "It is much more concealed here. Everyone agree with me?" Seeing the majority nod, she continued. "But the right flank is a problem. There is little or no cover there."

The people around the table fell silent for a while; each thinking hard. Another officer spoke. "We can take the Tigers around here." He pointed to areas southwest and southeast to where Maho was referring to. "There is more cover there, and it gives us a good field of fire."

Erwin nodded. "You're right. We have ten Tigers. But we need to keep several Tigers within the village itself."

"So we make some sort of a defensive ring?" Karla asked, as several others nodded.

"Yes. We are making a defensive ring." Erwin replied, before turning her attention to the infantry. "Do you have any ideas?" She asked curtly. One of the NCOs stood forward.

"One of the Tigers can be hidden and camouflaged in the barn." He pointed at the barn situated at the northern side of the village. "It can be used to give supporting fire whilst being concealed. The position of the barn is rather strategic; it overlooks most of the village."

Maho thought for a moment, and then nodded. "Very well. One Tiger will be hidden in the barn. Leutnant Brun, may I leave this job to you?" She asked.

"You can count on me, Leutnant." Karla quickly replied. "Shall I prepare now?" Seeing Erwin and Maho nod, she quickly stood up. "Klaus, Hans, with me. Peter and Friedhelm, see if you can find any sort of camouflage for the Tiger. Be quick." They nodded and briskly walked out of the room.

Hearing the door slam shut, Erwin continued. "How many infantry are there?" She asked.

"40 infantry in total, ma'am, not including three snipers and two machine gun sections, which contain seven men each." The second NCO responded. "That totals to 57 men."

"Okay." Erwin muttered, looking at the map, deep in thought. "We need the snipers at concealed positions within the village, with a wide view of fire. Each house needs to be occupied with at least three, if not more men. There are quite a lot of buildings, so spread yourselves out. The machine gun teams," She stated, pointing at three different buildings close to each other. "I want them to be there. This will provide a cross firing point, with a large effective field of fire." She looked up, as the infantry nodded in understanding. "Any questions?" Surveying the silence, she flashed a quick smile, before turning to the NCOs. "I expect you to organise them quickly? Time is of the essence." The three NCOs nodded.

"Of course, ma'am." The largest one then turned round to face the men. "Alright lads, this is it! Go to the reserve, get as much ammo as you can, and go to the positions where the Leutnant has told us! Also, one last thing." He winked cheekily at Erwin who sighed and shook her head. "Find the S-Mines and trip wires in the reserve. Also. The Molotov cocktails. If any Soviet tank gets to close, turn them into a piece of burning communist scrap metal. Make sure not one of those Soviet scum leave this place, alive."

The men nodded, before hurriedly leaving the HQ, orders being yelled as the men scrambled to set up their defensive positions. The door slammed shut, leaving only the tank crewmen behind. Maho gave a quiet sigh of relief.

Erwin quickly adjusted her field cap, before proceeding. "All of you remember the skills you were taught in basic training, such as weapon handling and hand to hand combat?" She asked slowly.

"Yes, Hauptmann." They all replied.

"Good. You will need them. I shall explain in a moment. But first. Five Tigers will defend the left flank, four will defend the right. Leutnant Ketler will be in charge of the defence of the left flank. I shall be in command of the right flank. Unteroffizier Hoch, Feldwebel Muller, Unteroffizier Kestner and Oberfeldwebel Meier; you are with Leutnant Ketler. The rest of you are with me. Find some cover, camouflage your Tiger and wait for the Soviets to arrive, clear?" They all nodded.

"Permission to speak, Hauptmann?" Erika suddenly uttered.

"Permission granted."

"Why do we need to remember what we were taught in basic training?" She asked. Erwin gave her a sad smile.

"We simply don't have enough men to hold the village itself. And the Tigers are too slow to withdraw back into the village." She responded.

The room fell silent.

"You mean…" Erika whispered. "We have to fight on the ground?"

Maho nodded slowly. "Yes."

"But only once you have run out of ammunition and shells. Only abandon the Tiger when you are completely out of any sort of ammunition." Erwin stated. "You will need to abandon your Tiger and make your way back to the village. We cannot let the Tigers fall into enemy hands, so you need to disable it. Everyone clear on the instructions?

The men and women nodded slowly.

Maho stood up at her fullest height. "Okay then. Go to the ammunition reserve. See if there are any spare weapons there. Arm yourselves with those weapons, and get as much ammo as you can find. Try to have one MP40 or MP28 per two crewmembers, if possible. Remember to get ammunition for your Lugers as well. Then move your Tigers into position. We don't have much time. So hurry." She looked round coldly around the room. "Let's move."

The men and women quickly filed out of the room. Maho looked at Erika and Erwin. "I'll leave the right flank to you, Erwin." She spoke softly. "Erika. Go to the reserve, and get an MP40, and some ammunition. I will meet you in the Tiger in a moment."

"Right away, Leutnant." She replied, before hurriedly walking out of the of the room and closing the door. Leaving only Maho and Erwin inside.

"It's an ambitious plan." Maho spoke, breaking the rather tense silence between them both. "Realistically, how long do you think we can hold out for?"

Erwin shrugged. "Up to four hours, maximum. But we do have enough ammunition to last for some time."

"I know we have enough ammunition, but are we really fighting to the last man?" Maho whispered. "You know what they will do to us if we surrender. They'll take us to the POW camps in Siberia. God knows what will happen to us there."

Erwin thought for a moment. "We will hold out for as long as we can, then we will retreat west, back to our own lines. Okay?"

Maho nodded. "Okay." She saluted before walking out of the room, and closing the door.

Erwin, now all alone, sighed. 'How ambitious can I get? Four hours? We'll be lucky to hold out for even two…'

* * *

 _13_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0415 hours_

In the near darkness, Maho slowly made her way towards the ammunition storage. The wet, sludgy mud squelched underneath her boots as she walked. Raised voices shouted orders as she could hear men running about, preparing for the oncoming onslaught. The rumbling of the Tigers could be heard as they rolled into their ambush position. She briefly saw Erika quietly slipping out of the storage area, MP40 in hand, as well as a box of machine gun ammunition for the coaxial machine gun. Maho, nearly unable to see because of the dark, tried to trace Erika's footsteps to reach the ammunition reserve.

Upon walking into the storage area, her eyes adjusted to the darkness inside. The place smelt of old, musty wood and the sharp, metallic tang of numerous metal boxes full of bullets. For a while, she looked for some Luger ammunition, until she found a box full of it. She took several magazines, and then found a small box of MP40 ammunition. Again, she took several magazines. Scanning the area, she frowned. "Where is the ammunition for the StG 44?" She whispered to herself as she walked around the place searching for it. Finally, she found it. Picking an empty steel box that used to house grenades, she put all the magazines into it and quietly walked out, towards her Tiger.

The rain had started again, becoming heavier every passing second. Soon, every part of her body was soaked in the freezing rain. Shivering slightly, the young Leutnant hastily made her way towards her Tiger, a black silhouette moving on top of the turret. She climbed up to the top of the turret, and plonked the box down on top of it. "Ammunition for the MP40s, Lugers and my StG 44." She stated to Erika.

She nodded silently and took the box. "Christian. More ammunition coming through." She spoke, as his upper torso popped up the commander's hatch. He quickly grabbed the box and took it, taking the contents out and placing them in the ammo stowage that used to contain tank shells. As he moved out of the way, Maho slipped into the Tiger. An interesting sight filled her eyes; the tank was full. Full of ammunition. A small stack of machine gun ammunition boxes was piled up on the left of Christian's seat, a belt already loaded into the coaxial machine gun. Where the massive AP shells used to stand now housed the ammunition Maho had collected, as well as their small stock of grenades, two MP40s and a StG 44.

Looking to the right stowage rack, she roughly counted the number of AP shells that were available. '27, 28, 29…' She sighed. 'That is not enough…' She thought to herself. 'We won't last longer than-'

"Leutnant Ketler!"

Maho jerked upwards in surprise of hearing her name. She stood up and saw Karla and a soldier running toward her Tiger. The soldier climbed onto the back of the tank, worry etched on his face.

"What is it?" Maho questioned.

"I thought I heard some voices and the sound of some engines coming from the north!" He spoke quickly.

"I think the Soviets are here." Karla whispered. "But

Maho blinked. She instantly grabbed her StG 44, climbed onto the turret and jumped down. "Erika! Get the MP40 and come with me now!" She ordered, before turning to the soldier. "Where did you hear them?"

The soldier pointed into the looming darkness. "Just beyond the barn."

Maho nodded. "Okay. Show me." The soldier quickly ran off into the blackness of the night, with Maho and Erika following him as fast as they could. Erwin, seeing the trio run, instantly knew something was amiss and quickly joined them, Luger in hand.

As they ran, they left the village and into the Russian steppe. The rumbling of engines became evidently louder as they got closer. Erwin ran ahead, then suddenly stopped dead. "Get down!" She hissed, kneeling into the long grass, using it as cover. The others immediately followed suit.

"What is it?" Erika asked, but Erwin turned round and put a finger on her lips.

"Shh." She whispered. "Follow my lead. Maho, Erika. When I stand up, block the road and point your weapons at them. I will tell them to stop. If they don't after I ask them twice, open fire." She then turned to the soldier and Karla. "You two are to move to the other side of the road. Keep low until I stand up. Do the same. Open fire if they refuse to stop. Everyone clear?"

"Aye, Hauptmann." They replied quietly. Karla and the soldier moved towards their position; the grass brushing gently against their clothes as they moved silently. Maho pulled the bolt quietly, her heart beating hard against her chest. The tension in the air was heavy and palpable. The rumbling of engines got closer and closer with each passing second. Soon, dim headlights could be seen. The small balls of light became larger. And larger. And larger still. Maho gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on her rifle. The lead vehicle soon came into view; it was a transport truck. Erwin stood up.

"Halt! Who goes there?" She shouted, as Maho and Erika ran towards the centre of the road, blocking their way and raising their weapons at the truck. The headlights dazzled them for a moment, but as their eyes soon adjusted to the sudden brightness…

"German infantry?" Maho whispered in surprise. Erika's eyes widened at her remark.

"Don't shoot! We're not the enemy!" A voice sounded from the truck. Erwin frowned and inched forwards, pistol at the ready.

"Show yourself!" She replied.

A man, holding an MP40, climbed out of the back and walked towards them, with one other soldier following, the headlights from the car illuminating his silhouette. He was quite tall, with a tired, yet alert face. He had brown, dark blond hair with streaks of grey and pale grey eyes. The lines on his forehead showed his age. His uniform was battered and dusty. The aluminium shoulder boards on his uniform were reflected by the headlights. Two gilt metal pips could be seen.

Erwin breathed a sigh of relief, before lowering her weapon. "You gave us quite a scare, Hauptmann…?" She muttered, unsure how to address the officer. The man gave an exhausted smile.

"Hauptmann Hans Bauer." He replied, moving forward and extending his hand, in which Erwin quickly shook. "We're a company of panzergrenadiers from the 9th Armoured Division."

"Glad to meet you, Hauptmann Bauer." Erwin spoke, casting a look at Maho. "I'm Hauptmann Brandt, commander of the 505th Heavy Tank Battalion, and this is Leutnant Ketler, my second in command."

Maho, seeing a superior officer, immediately saluted. "Permission to speak, Hauptmann?"

"Go ahead." Both Erwin and Hans responded. Maho blinked, surprised for a moment before continuing.

"Sorry if this sounds rather rash, but what are you and your panzergrenadier company doing here?" She asked.

"Reinforcing your defence on Soborwka." Hans answered quickly. "They have decided to commit a company of panzergrenadiers to help the 505th."

A small, genuine smile erupted on Erwin's face. "Really?" She exclaimed, looking at Maho with delight. Hans nodded.

"Yes. And there is more good news." He added.

"Which is…?"

"The attack on the right flank has been repulsed by the battalion from the 4th Panzers, and the Soviets have fallen back to regroup." Hans spoke. "So you only have the left flank to deal with."

A stunned silence momentarily swept between the officers. Erwin, unable to hold back her delight, emitted a small chuckle. "Okay. I'll go through the plan with you once we get back. Be on your way." Hans nodded.

"Of course."

* * *

 _13_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0440 hours_

In the darkness of the night, Soborwka flooded to life as several transport trucks rolled into the village, as well as troops on motorcycles, amidst the astounded looks the fellow tank crewmen and soldiers gave. The heavy rain had now reduced to a mild drizzle. Maho, standing beside her Tiger, looked on. The men disembarked their trucks, and were instantly assigned orders by the NCOs. Seeing the HQ door open, Maho walked towards the two officers that were just exiting the place.

"Hauptmann Bauer has told me he has brought 70 men to reinforce our position." Erwin informed Maho. "The majority of his forces will now support our flank on the ground; they are to make any form of cover along the left flank, and will deal with the infantry. The two machine gun sections and three rifle squads will be the bulk of the forces. They have plenty of panzerfausts, which means we can dispatch any tank that gets too close."

Maho nodded in understanding. "And what of the Tigers we've deployed on the right flank?" She asked.

"They shall be redeployed on the left flank. It will give us extra firing support. Another Tiger shall be camouflaged and hidden in the village." Erwin replied swiftly. And to prove her point, a Tiger rolled past them; its engine rumbling deeply as it crawled along the mud-churned road. "Move your tank to the left flank and camouflage it. The enemy is nearly upon us."

Maho saluted. "Right away, Hauptmann." She turned round and headed back towards her Tiger. Erika was standing next to it, waiting for Maho.

"What was that about?" She queried, as Maho took out a cigarette and lit it with her lighter. She took a deep breath before exhaling the pale, grey wisps of smoke.

"Nothing much. Just had a quick discussion on the plan of action." Maho replied slowly. "The other Tigers are going to join us on the left flank. As well as some of the panzergrenadiers under Hauptmann Bauer's command." She paused for a moment, before sighing quietly. "But why bother? The more men they send, the more blood that will be shed when the onslaught comes… What is the point of this?" She whispered, hanging her head. "Why bother fighting if we're all going to die here?"

Erika sighed heavily. "Who knows, Maho? We are only soldiers after all." She took a step forward. "We are taught to follow orders, to fight and to die for the fatherland, weren't we?" She gave Maho a small encouraging smile. "Isn't that why we still fight? To protect our homeland?" A loud rumbling sound passed behind them as a Tiger rolled past. "You told me this, remember? Don't fall back on your own words, Maho." She whispered. "If you believe in what you say, show it. Don't give up." She took a step forward. "Not now."

Maho breathed a quiet sigh. "I'll try."

"You better try." Erika replied with a small smirk. "You promised your sister to come back, as well as Erwin…" She pulled a cheeky grin.

Maho froze. "How do you know…?" She whispered, shocked. Erika smiled.

"I kind of figured it out long ago… It seemed obvious… to me, anyway." She responded. Just as Maho was about to reply, she put a finger to her lips. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. I promise." She then gave her a hurried smile before climbing into the Tiger.

Maho reluctantly climbed in after her, before sitting down in her seat. "Is everyone ready?" She asked.

"Aye, Leutnant." They all replied. Maho smiled faintly.

"Good. Ernst, move us to the left flank. I'll look for a good position to conceal our tank." She ordered. The tank shuddered as the engine growled into life, and they began moving towards the flank. Maho put on her headphones. "Radio check. Does anything hear me?"

"Hearing you loud and clear, Leutnant." Erwin responded quickly.

"Roger. Loud and clear." Karla and several other tank commanders answered.

Maho took a breath. "Right then. All remaining Tigers are to position themselves on the left flank. Make sure you have a good field of fire. Hoch, Muller, Kestner, Meier. You are with me." She ordered. "Follow my Tiger. The rest of you are with Hauptmann Brandt. Everyone clear?"

"Jawohl Leutnant." They replied.

"Let's move out."

* * *

 _13_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0450 hours_

Under the final few minutes of darkness, the Tigers slowly moved themselves into their ambush positions. Maho had positioned her Tiger behind a bush; nothing but the long gun barrel sticking out. All around them, the other Tigers crawled into position, each finding a bit of foliage to camouflage themselves. Around 100m in front of them, several foxholes and a small trench network that was built early on during the first days of the offensive were being quickly manned by the company commanded by Hauptmann Bauer.

"Is everyone in position? Including the infantry?" Erwin asked through the radio. A jumble of voices responded almost immediately.

"Yes, Hauptmann."

"Aye, we're in position, Hauptmann."

Maho stood up and scanned the horizon with her binoculars. 'Nothing so far…' She thought to herself. A small orange glow peeped out of the horizon, turning the nearby sky a gentle shade of orange. Night was slowly falling away, the sunrise chasing the darkness from its dominion. She sighed and sat down again.

"What do we do now?" Erika asked. Maho looked at her.

"Nothing." She muttered, getting a cigarette out and lighting it. "For now…" She began, whilst inhaling gently. A few moments later, she exhaled deeply. "…We wait. There is nothing we can do for now." She took another breath. "Until they arrive." Looking at Erika, she gestured to the packet of cigarettes in her hand. "Anyone want a smoke?"

Erika slowly reached out and took one, before taking the packet and passing it round each crewmember. Maho then passed her lighter to each of them.

A brief period of silence swept round the tank. Each one dared not to speak. The silence was overpowering, almost, as if an invisible power was among them. Maho slowly took out her Luger and loaded a magazine into it, before clicking the hammer and putting it back into the holster. The sharp click of the hammer caused Erika to jump slightly, then settle back into the sombre, subdued mood they were all in.

"Do any of you believe in God?" Maho suddenly asked. Her crew members turned round to face her.

"I do." Erika whispered.

"I do too." Replied Ernst.

Maho thought for a moment, choosing her words carefully. She did not want to offend, yet she wanted to make a point. "How come?" She spoke calmly.

Erika paused. "I was brought up in a religious family." She began. "So I guess I was… indoctrinated at first. I thought it was a load of bullshit, really. But after going through all of this…" She sighed. "I do think that God exists. Because it's as if he is watching over me, you know?"

Maho tilted her head. "In what way?"

"Because if he wasn't, I could have died a long time ago. I mean, thousands of soldiers have died throughout this war. But why not me?" Erika spoke, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face before continuing. "It's as if he wants me to live. I always have this feeling…" She whispered. "It's really hard to explain. It's like…-"

"A presence of someone or something with you, yet there is no one there." Ernst answered. "I agree with Erika. If there wasn't a God, there isn't a hope for any of us. Yet, we're still here. We're still fighting. We're still alive." He stated. "We all could have been captured or killed long ago. Yet, as Erika said, it is as if he wants us alive…"

Maho stayed silent for a moment. "I… used to believe in God as well." She admitted. "But… after seeing all of this, all the deaths of so many people…" She sighed. "I lost my faith in him. If there is a God, why is he letting thousands of men, women and children die every day? It doesn't make sense. Not anymore…" She looked round. "I don't mean to offend any of you… But it's just me. If God is God, why would he not stop this war? Why would he not save thousands, if not millions of innocent lives?" She muttered, before hanging her head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be doing this."

Silence fell on the inhabitants again. Erika shuffled nervously in her seat. Ernst began playing with the drive pedals. Both knew Maho was right. 'But how to answer to that…?' Erika thought carefully. The silence loomed around them, as if swallowing them up. No one spoke. Not even a mutter.

"Maho. I understand how you feel." Ernst suddenly spoke up, shattering the wall of silence between them. Maho looked up in surprise.

"Do you?" She whispered. "How co-"

Her thought was snapped in two as a massive explosion erupted a few yards behind her. Seconds later, another gigantic explosion rocked the inhabitants of the tank around. An artillery barrage was taking place; massive shells creating huge fireballs, sending mud, rock and dirt flying everywhere.

"What are our orders, Leutnant?!" Erika shouted over the deathly chorus of whistling artillery shells and howling of katyusha rockets.

Maho, who had had her eyes closed for a few moments, looked up at Erika. "Get ready. The enemy has arrived." She then nodded curtly at her crew. "Listen up. Do your duty for our homeland. For our fatherland. For Germany. Who is willing to stay, fight and die alongside me?"

Erika nodded. "To the very end."

"We've been together for this long. Nothing is going to change that now." Felix spoke.

Maho smiled faintly. "I hope so too."

* * *

 _13_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0505 hours_

"Enemy alert! T-34s and infantry spotted! Distance is 2km and closing in!" A voice on the radio crackled loudly.

"Enemy is closing in! Distance is less than 2km now!" The voice shouted through the radio. Maho put on her headphones again.

"Everyone, listen up! Do not engage until they are close! Choose your target and track them! Only fire when Hauptmann Brandt or I say so!" Maho ordered.

"Jawohl Leutnant!" They all replied.

Felix grabbed an Armour Piercing round and rammed it into the gun barrel, closing the breech. "Shell loaded!"

Erika gritted her teeth, and traversed the turret; tracking one of the T-34s. "Target spotted!"

Maho stood up and looked at the horizon. The glint of the sunlight against the metal chassis of the T-34s were evident. The infantry followed in close behind, using the tanks as cover. "Wait for it…" She whispered to Erika. "Wait till they're close.

A few minutes passed. Silence encompassed them. The tension in the air was palpable. Christian loaded a belt of machine gun ammo into the coaxial machine gun. Maho grabbed her StG 44 and attached a fresh magazine in. As the T-34s got closer and closer, the squeaking of their tank tracks could be heard, getting louder and louder each passing second.

Erwin, on the opposite side of the left flank, looked through her binoculars. "Distance… 800m… 750m… 700m." This was close enough. She calmly put down her binoculars, and spoke into the radio.

"All units. Engage! Engage!"

Maho nodded. "Fire!"

* * *

 _13_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0515 hours_

A great volley of erupted from the line of Tigers, and their rounds flew downrange at supersonic speeds, before hitting their targets with deadly results. Through her binoculars, Maho could see several T-34s explode into flames, fire licking up the sides of the tanks. One shell penetrated through the turret ring, sparks flying as metal scraped against metal. Seconds later, a massive fireball exploded around the turret, flames shooting out of the commander's hatch as the tanks screeched to a stop. Oily black smoke rose through the dim morning twilight, the flames illuminating the area with an eerie orange glow.

The remaining T-34s began firing desperately at their positions, shells flying all around them. One shell hit the turret, the force of the impact throwing Maho off balance. "Shit!" She muttered, as she scanned for targets with her binoculars. "Erika, T-34 2 o'clock, distance 500m!"

Erika traversed the turret as fast as she could. "Target sighted!" She shouted.

"Fire!"

The muzzle flash that ensued blinded Maho momentarily. She blinked hard several times to regain her sight. All she saw was another fireball, as the turret spectacularly ripped off the hull and flew into the air, landing a few feet away from the flaming wreckage of the tank. Another shell clanged off their frontal hull armour, rocking the Tiger slightly. The radio crackled into life in Maho's ears.

"The infantry are closing in! Open fire!" Erwin's voice sounded.

Christian immediately started firing with the coaxial machine gun. Tracers streaked through the dawn air as the other Tigers and infantry opened fire with their machine guns, rifles and submachine guns, each finding their mark. Soldier after soldier fell into the long grass, their uniforms stained in red, never to awake from their eternal sleep.

Through her binoculars, Maho spotted several tanks, slightly silhouetted by the early morning haze. "5 KV-1s spotted! 7'o clock, distance, 800m!" She shouted into the radio. "Erika, target the lead tank! Hoch, target the one at the rear! Muller Kestner Meier, target the rest of them! Once you have them in your sights, open fire!"

Felix rammed a fresh Armour Piercing round into the breech. "Shell loaded!"

"Target sighted!" Erika replied.

"Fire!"

Another volley of deadly shells screamed towards its target. Each shell pierced the side armour of the KV-1 like butter, with deadly results. One KV-1 brewed up, flames shooting out from all crevices. One exploded as the ammo cooked off, as another shuddered to a halt. The hatch opened and one man flopped out and onto the ground, missing a leg. Black, dirty columns of smoke rose into the dawn sky.

Suddenly, everything went quiet. No gunfire, no nothing. In front of them lay destroyed T-34s and KV-1s all around. Their burning wreckages emitting vast pillars of black smoke, obscuring the sun. Maho breathed a sigh of relief.

"Did we kill them all?" A voice emanated from the radio.

"No, that must have been an advance company or something. The main force will arrive soon." Erwin replied. "The main force will be much stronger."

Maho sat back in her seat. "Is everyone okay?" She muttered. She felt exhausted. She was exhausted. They hadn't had any sleep for the last few days, and, judging by the looks from her crew, they were shattered as well.

"Couldn't have felt better." Erika responded sarcastically, as Felix gave a fatigued chuckle. Maho smiled faintly.

"Get some rest, but be on your guard. The main force could arrive at any time." She spoke softly, before leaning back in her seat and closing her eyes.

Erika smiled, before turning to Felix. "She seems more relaxed than usual." She whispered, and Felix nodded in agreement.

"You have to give her some slack, you know? She's been through a lot. Think about it. She's been in, like, how many offensives?" He whispered, pausing for a moment whilst counting using his fingers. "France, Moscow, Kharkov, Stalingrad, Rzhev, and now here. Six large scale offensives. Each time, she's seen many of her friends get killed or injured. She must've been through hell and ba-"

"I heard that…" Maho's half stern, yet sleepy voice could be heard as Erika laughed. "And I don't know why you're laughing Erika." She continued. "What are you two doing anyway, counting up all the offensives I've been in?"

"Yeah." Felix replied.

"For what reason?" Maho queried.

"We were just wondering what awards you could have received." Erika stated plainly, withholding the truth from her slyly. "You would have a lot, won't y-"

"I have no need, nor desire for awards and military decorations." Maho spoke slowly. "All I'm bothered with is doing my duty to the highest standard. "In which I don't think-"

"Correction. You do perform your duty to the highest standard." Erika and Felix both answered back together.

Maho raised a brow. "You do know you're to a commissioned officer…" She joked, before smiling and closing her eyes again. "But, I'll let you off because it's you two; the troublemakers." She grinned at her remark, before closing her eyes again.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." Felix cheekily remarked.

No reply.

Erika turned round to face Maho. The young woman was asleep; her head hanging as she drifted in her slumber. Erika smiled, before turning back to Felix. "She's asleep." She mouthed, before looking into her optics; the sun was rising steadily, bathing the area in a yellowy orange light. Other than the burning and destroyed wreckages of tanks, it seemed rather… peaceful. But Erika herself was far from at ease. She sat back in her seat and sighed quietly, before reaching down her front and taking her dog tag out. It was once shiny and new, but now, after years of fighting, had become dull and dirty.

'I guess this is the calm before the storm…'

* * *

 _13_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0545 hours_

"Enemy target markers spotted!" A sharp voice crackled through the radio. "The Soviets are attacking again!"

Maho's eyes snapped open as the voice blared through her headphones. "Let's go! They're coming!" She ordered. "Felix, Armour Piercing shell, now! Erika, ammo count!"

Felix grabbed another AP round and rammed it into the breech. "Shell loaded!"

"12 rounds of Armour Piercing left!" Erika responded.

Maho nodded in acknowledgement as she stood up to take a look. Sure enough, white balls of light were streaking up the dawn sky, before fizzling out into nothingness. She gritted her teeth as more flares shot up into the sky, marking the position on which they were at. "Bring on the hell." She muttered. The sound of the explosion was deafening.

Seconds later, the sound of howling and screaming could be heard. It got louder and louder, until the gates to hell opened up in front of Maho's eyes. Fireballs erupted as the shells and rockets impacted the ground, tearing gigantic craters into the earth, flinging mud, sod and rocks everywhere like ragdolls. The shells whistled overhead and in front of them, tearing huge lanes into the minefield in front, carving a path for the enemy armour. A shell screamed past her Tiger and exploded meters behind them, the shockwave throwing her off balance. She quickly ducked down quickly to avoid the deadly shower of shrapnel tearing towards her.

"Tank alert! Here they come!" Her headphones crackled into life as she scanned the steppe below them. Sure enough, through the thick smoke and dust caused by the barrage, the silhouettes of dozens of T-34s and KV-1s could be seen crawling towards them, along with Soviet infantry arriving on-mass; the bayonets on their rifles glinting through the smoke, whilst others advanced with submachineguns.

"Choose your targets! Only engage when you are sure you can hit them!" Erwin's voice blared through Maho's headphones. "We don't have enough ammo to stop them all! Once you've expended all your ammunition, fall back to the village!"

Erika traversed the turret, lining up the gun on her next target. "Target sighted!"

"Hold it! Wait till they reach the minefield!" Maho shouted over the din of deafening explosions.

All the Tigers held their fire. As they watched, the T-34s and KV-1s rolled closer towards them, their tank tracks squeaking loudly, the eerie sound carrying through the wind and headed to them. The tension inside Maho's tank was tangible. Everyone inside was silent. Erika's hand closed towards the trigger, her hand shaking slightly.

Suddenly, an explosion lit up the steppe as one T-34 rolled over a tank mine. Dirt erupted and sprayed out underneath the tank as the force of the blast tilted it slightly on one side, before its tracks fell from the wheels; rendering it immobile.

"Fire!" Maho screamed.

A deadly chorus of blasts rocked across the left flank as all of the Tigers opened fire on a target. The shells slammed into the thin armour of the T-34s like a hot knife through butter. Seconds later, the infantry in front of them opened up a hellfire of bullets, coupled with the coaxial machine guns chattering away. Downrange; it was carnage. Tank after tank exploded into flames, the fire licking through every crevice in the steel armour. Men, terribly mutilated and burning, crawled out of their burning metal coffins and flopped onto the floor; rolling and writhing. Their screams of agony mingled with the whistling and howling of the artillery shells and katyusha rockets. Every so often, the ground would rumble as an anti-tank mine went off, disabling yet another tank.

"Don't let them come close!" Erwin shouted through the radio, just as another volley of shells screamed down towards their next targets.

Felix picked up another shell and rammed it into the breech. "We're down to two shells!" He exclaimed.

"Erika! Take out the KV-1 at our 2 o'clock!" Maho ordered.

"Target sighted!"

"Take him out." Maho replied, and the tank shuddered as another shell flew towards the KV-1, impacting and penetrating the turret in a puff of smoke and sparks. Seconds later, the hatch opened up and one man, presumably the driver or loader climbed out of the tank, covered in oil and soot. He jumped down only to be decapitated by burst of machine gun fire by Christian.

A massive explosion to the side of her caused Maho to jerk her head to the left. A horrific sight filled her eyes; a Tiger had taken a direct hit from a katyusha rocket, and the wreck was covered in flames. One crewmember wriggled out of the wreckage, engulfed in flames. He screamed in agony, writhing around on the ground. He struggled to get his pistol out of his holster, but when he did, he quickly pulled the trigger. The crack of the pistol shot hit Maho like a whip as the man instantly became motionless.

Another shell screamed down and exploded behind her, the shockwave slamming Maho into the rim of the commander's hatch. She groaned, her vision becoming blurry as she sank down into her seat, clutching her stomach just as the tank shook from the recoil of another shell being propelled out of the cannon.

"Leutnant!" Erika turned round and looked at her. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine… Erika." Maho mumbled sheepishly. "Just got the wind knocked out of me, that's all." She coughed several times, trying to get her breath back.

"Leutnant, we have a problem!" Felix shouted over the horrendous noise of gunfire and explosions from outside.

"What is it?" Maho asked.

"We're out of shells."

It took a moment for her to realise the words that had come out of Felix's mouth. She sighed then cursed under her breath. "Right. We'll deal with as many infantry as we can, before getting out. Christian. How many belts of ammunition left?"

Christian quickly loaded in another belt as he spoke. "This is my last belt." He muttered.

"Shit." Maho cursed again. She quickly stood back up to observe the situation: it looked bleak. Remnants of the infantry were pulling back; many were carrying their wounded on their shoulders, whilst running back up the hill to reach the village, with the Soviet infantry chasing after them in hot pursuit. She saw one soldier run towards her tank.

"You need to get ou-"

He collapsed down on the ground mid-sentence, as a bullet punched through his helmet and into his head with a clanging sound. He sprawled on the ground, blood and brain dripping onto the floor. Time slowed in her eyes. She looked down at the man, then at her surroundings. Most of the Tigers had fallen silent; through the carnage she could see the crewmembers climbing out, many wielding their pistols as they jumped down and made their way up the hill. The Soviets were close now. They had cleared the trenches once occupied by the infantry and were advancing up the hill itself; firing on the beleaguered retreating soldiers and tank crewmen. Some fell as bullets tore through their bodies; knocking them down like skittles, never to rise again.

"We're out of ammo!" Christian shouted. "What do we do now, Leutnant!"

Maho blinked and the sound of death and destruction filled her ears again. "Erika, you're with me! Felix, Christian, Ernst; you stick with each other. Felix, get that MP 40! Erika, get the other! We'll get out first, then you follow immediately after!"

Erika tossed the MP 40 and some magazines to Felix, before reaching and grabbing the other MP 40.

Maho pulled the bolt of her StG 44, and loaded up a magazine for her Luger, before stuffing a few more into her pocket. "Has everyone got ammunition for their MP 40s and Lugers?" She shouted, before standing up and knocking a Soviet soldier onto the ground with a few well-placed shots.

"Yes Leutnant!"

"Erika, Let's move!"

Maho climbed up onto the turret and jumped down instantly, before Erika quickly followed suit.

"Go!" Maho yelled, dragging her back as she opened fire on a few more enemy soldiers; two fell, but one got close enough to tackle Maho to the ground. She gritted her teeth as she blocked a punch from him, before kneeing him in the groin. The man groaned and fell backwards, before being dispatched by Felix. Ernst jumped down from the turret, just as Christian dropped a grenade inside the tank to destroy any valuable equipment that could fall into enemy hands.

"Are you alright?" He shouted, as Maho picked herself up.

"Don't worry about me! Run!" She replied, emptying her magazine on another group of soldiers, before turning and running to keep up with her comrades. Bullets whizzed around them as they made their way back to the village.

* * *

 _13_ _th_ _July, 1943. 0615 hours_

As they reached the village, the sound that greeted them made Maho's heart sink. The sound of small arms fire and explosions from grenades meant that the Soviets had also reached the village. They ran towards an abandoned building, taking shelter behind a wall.

"What do we do know, Maho?" Erika shouted.

Maho peeked out slightly, before opening a short burst with her assault rifle. A few enemy soldiers replied by firing back; she ducked back into cover as bullets whizzed past them. "We need to get through to our own forces!" She replied just as a nearby grenade took out a few retreating German infantry. "Erika and I will cover! You three go to that building and take cover until we get there! Got it?!"

"Aye Leutnant!"

"Go!"

Christian, Felix and Ernst ran out from the cover of the wall, just as Erika and Maho laid down a hail of suppressing fire. "Erika, Go!" Maho shouted as Erika sprinted after them. Seeing that they had reached the next building, she took a deep breath and ran after them.

Bullets flew all around her as she ran. Never before had she felt so scared; her heart pounding rapidly in her chest as she took cover behind the wall alongside her comrades. The buzz of the machine gun inside the house gave her a slight respite; it was the German MG 42. "You see the building opposite the barn?" She shouted. "We'll go in there to take shelter for the time being! We'll do the same again!"

They all nodded in understanding.

"Let's go!"

A shell exploded a few meters in front of them as they ran from the cover and towards the building. Maho rounded the broke away from them, being forced to cover behind another building by a sudden hail of bullets as the others ran on.

"Uraa!"

A sharp pain exploded round her head as something hard connected with her skull. Bright lights danced around her eyes as she fell onto the ground.

Through her blurry vision; Maho could make out a man with a rifle. He attempted to whack her across the face with his rifle, but Maho rolled away and knocked the feet from under him. She stood up and tried to pin the man down but the man countered it and kicked her hard in the chest. Maho gasped, falling down onto the floor, just as a massive pair of hands wrapped round her throat and pressed tightly.

"G-Get… off…me-e… сука." She choked, trying to move his hands away from her neck with her own; but the man overpowered her easily. She gasped for breath, tears streaming down from her eyes as she weakly kicked him, but to no avail. Her movements became weaker and weaker as she was starved of oxygen; her gasps became quieter and shallower. The man grinned in a cynical manner.

A sudden gunshot ripped through her ears. The man slumped onto Maho, his hands releasing the pressure on her throat. Maho gasped for air, coughing and retching heavily.

"Get. Off. Her!" A woman screamed. Maho instantly recognised the voice. Through her blurry vision, she saw a pair of hands reach down towards her, in which she weakly grasped and was pulled up.

"You okay Maho?" Erwin asked worriedly as Maho panted to get her breath back. Being unable to speak for the time being, she nodded. Erika and the others quickly joined them.

"Is she okay?" Felix queried. Maho frowned in embarrassment.

"I'm fine…" She coughed, finally regaining her breath back.

"We need to pull back!" Erwin stated. "They've overrun the place! Erika, take the rest of Maho's crew. I will meet you at the barn. They're boarding the trucks to get out!

"But what about you two!" Erika shouted.

"Don't mind us! We'll make it! Now go!" Erwin hissed in reply.

Erika sighed, then nodded. She, Felix and Ernst quickly disappeared, with bullets screaming past them every second.

Maho picked up her StG 44 and looked round; observing the situation. All around them, corpses of dead soldiers, German and Soviets alike littered the area. One German soldier took down a Soviet soldier with his weapon, only to be gunned down by an advancing soldier seconds later.

"Look out!"

She suddenly felt Erwin pull her back roughly as an explosion erupted meters in front of them. Maho stood up. "We need to go, now!"

"We're being pinned down!" Erwin shouted in reply, just as a burst of machine gun fire peppered the wall with bullets.

Maho replied with a few bursts from her assault rifle. "I know that!" She yelled, dropping two Soviet soldiers with a short burst, each falling down with a puff of red mist erupting behind them. Erwin took out her Luger and shot at another soldier, but it only clicked.

"Shit! I'm out of ammo!" She cursed as she placed her pistol back in her holster. "Do you have any ammo?" She asked.

No reply.

"Maho?"

She looked forward and sighed. Maho had run forwards towards another building, but was nowhere to be seen. Erwin shook her head and ran towards that building, dodging bullets flying towards her and kicking open the door before running into the room.

Inside, Maho and an enemy soldier was locked in hand to hand combat with one another. And she was losing. Badly. The man had managed to pin Maho onto the floor, and one of his hands held a knife. He was attempting to press it into her chest, whilst Maho was pushing against the man with all her strength, but was slowly weakening. The knife sank closer towards her chest.

She turned to Erwin and frowned. "Help me!" She screamed, kicking the man once and throwing him off balance. She stood up and swung a right hook into the man's face, knocking him backwards. Erwin was about to run and assist her, but another soldier emerged suddenly from the opposite room and pulled her to the floor, leaving Maho to fend for herself.

Maho pulled out her combat knife and lunged at the man, but was instantly knocked down onto the floor by a left hook. The man grabbed her by her hair, and stamped on her stomach. Maho gasped, blood spitting out of her mouth as she reached frantically for the knife. She gritted her teeth; a soft grunt or moan emanating from her each time the foot connected with her torso. Her fingers touched the handle of her knife, before pulling closer and establishing a firm hold on it. She suddenly kicked the man in the chest, and swung the knife, the blade sinking into his side. Maho shouted in pain as she plunged the blade deeper and deeper; blood spilling out of the wound like a tap. The man groaned, before slowly becoming still, his eyes looking, but not seeing.

A reassuring gunshot whipped around the room. Maho turned round to see Erwin pointing a smoking pistol at the corpse of the other soldier. Maho spat blood from her mouth and sheathed her knife, before standing up. "You okay?" She asked, panting slightly as she regained her breath.

"Never felt better." Erwin replied sarcastically, taking the soldiers' submachine gun as well as his pistol. "We need to reach the barn."

Maho nodded, throwing her empty magazine onto the floor and loading a fresh one into her assault rifle. "Shall I lead?" She asked. Seeing Erwin nod, she edged towards the door; rifle held aloft. She kicked open the door. The sound of gunfire and explosions, coupled with the crying and moaning of the wounded surrounded them once more.

Maho broke into a sprint; running towards another house whilst firing her weapon. She took cover behind a wall, allowing Erwin to catch up. She peeked past the edge of the wall and opened fire on a group of advancing Soviet infantry. Several of her bullets found their mark as one man fell; another collapsed on the floor, holding his leg and screaming in agony.

"There are some troops in this building!" Erwin shouted, stepping past Maho and firing a few shots just as a muzzle flash and the subsequent explosion engulfed the enemy squad. Maho turned to look at the source; it was Karla's Tiger. Another explosion scattered another group of men further away; the smoke cleared, leaving one man rolling around on the floor, missing his arm and left foot.

"Maho! Are you listening!" Erwin yelled over the gunfire, pulling Maho back behind cover.

"I can't hear you!" She shouted back.

"There are some troops left that are still defending this place! We need to check the houses and inform them that we are falling back!" Erwin spoke, just as a T-34 cresting the hill was taken out spectacularly by Karla's Tiger, and another screeched to a halt after a panzerfaust slammed into its side. "You go check this house, and take any of move any survivors to the barn, where we are pulling out!" They both ducked just as a shell whistled over and exploded behind them, throwing mud and rocks everywhere. "I will check the other one left of this one, Got it?!"

Maho nodded. "I'll cover you!" She stepped away from the wall and opened fire, as Erwin sprinted off to the other house. She ran round and kicked open the door, her rifle poised to open fire. The house was eerily quiet as she checked the first room. A smoking MG 42 lay fallen at the window. A corpse of a soldier lay next to it, his head split in half by a bullet. Blood sprayed all over the floor messily. Next to him lay another soldier; curled up in the foetal position. Maho inched closer to him, before nudging him with her foot.

The soldier instantly jumped and moved away; fear etched in his eyes. He looked young. Very young. Maho sighed. "Get up on your feet, soldier. I'm here to help." She ordered.

He shakily got up, avoiding eye contact. "I'm staying here. I don't want to die." He whispered simply.

"You're going to be fine, okay? Just keep your head down and come with me. We're falling back." Maho muttered, putting a half reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Are there any more soldiers in the next house?"

"I…"

"I need an answer now, soldier. We haven't much time." Maho spoke coldly.

Moments later, a burst of bullets smashed through the window, causing Maho to duck on the floor. The soldier next to her collapsed, coughing and spluttering blood. Maho crawled over, looking over his wounds; blood dripped steadily and spread round his uniform as he gasped for air.

"M-..Mam-m…a…." He choked, reaching out to Maho with a shaky, blood spattered hand. "He-Help… me-e…"

Maho clasped her hand against his. "I'm sorry." She whispered, her heart heavy with sorrow. "I can't do anything to help."

He gasped several more times, before his hand slipped from her grasp and dropped to the floor. His eyes looking, but void of life. Maho looked at the boy once more, before turning away back towards the door. Opening it, she ran forwards towards the next house, kicking the door open and running in just as an explosion engulfed where she stood seconds before.

Clutching her assault rifle tightly, she inched forwards. She listened for any signs of life. Maho walked into the first room; two dead German soldiers. Sighing, she made her way upstairs. Hearing a few whispered voices, she took cover behind the wall and peeked into the room. Inside were at least seven German soldiers, each sitting down with their weapons beside them. Maho walked in.

"What are you lot doing here?" She queried.

One man looked up. "We're out of ammunition, we can't fight anymore. There is no point fighting anymore."

Maho's gaze swept round the room. "We're falling back. We need to be quick if we are to make it out alive.

"But-"

"There's no time for ifs or buts!" Maho shouted over the din of the ever closer gunfire and explosions. "Get on your feet! Let's move!"

The men got up and picked up their weapons, before running downstairs and out. Maho followed them quickly. Once outside, they were met with a firestorm of bullets. The man in front of her dropped, sprawling onto the ground.

"We need to keep moving!" Maho yelled, dragging one young soldier with her who had fallen. Seconds later, both were thrown by a shell exploding behind them, before slamming into the earth. She groaned, lying on the ground, dazed. Shakily, she got up, and continued dragging the boy.

"Come on!" She shouted, turning to look at him. Only then, did she realise what happened. Sighing, she let go of him and ran on, leaving his bloodied, half decapitated corpse lying there with his entrails hanging out.

Nearing the barn, she saw more soldiers join their desperate escape. Erwin and the rest of her crewmembers had already made it; she was hurrying into a transport truck, along with the men she had managed to escape with. She turned to Maho, gesturing her to hurry.

Maho turned round to urge the men on as they ran. "Let's go, Let's g-"

* * *

A blinding, explosive pain shot through her body as she tripped over and collapsed onto the ground. Maho gasped, coughing as the all too familiar scent of blood filled her nostrils. She weakly felt her front. Her hand was soaked in the red liquid that was now quickly spilling out of her wounds. She looked round weakly, coughing up blood. White dots danced around in her vision as she felt a pair of hands pick her up and put her into the truck. She weakly looked up; it was Erwin.

"Help me put pressure!" Erwin shouted, getting on her knees and putting pressure on the wound as they began driving away from the carnage that was Soborkwa. Two soldiers quickly came to her aid; one helping Erwin to put pressure whilst the other tore up some cloth to use as a bandage.

"E-Erwin…" Maho coughed, looking up at her superior weakly.

"Yes?" She replied, her voice faltering as she desperately held back her tears. "What is it, Maho?"

"Are we… safe?"

Erwin smiled, unable to hold back her tears any longer. "For now, yes." She whispered, tears dripping down onto Maho.

Maho reached out a pale, shaky hand, slowly wiping away her tears. "No need… to cry." She whispered, gasping for breath as she coughed up more blood. "Y-You… don't have to worry… about me-e… a-anymore…"

"No!" Erwin shouted in desperation. "Don't say that!" She shook her head frantically.

Maho smiled weakly. "I'm going to die… aren't I?" She mouthed silently.

"You're not going to die. I will make sure." Erwin whispered, holding her hand tightly as tears slid down her cheeks. "Stay with me, Maho… Please…" She begged.

Maho took a few short breaths. "I'm… t-trying." Through her blurry vision, she looked up at Erwin once more. She cried out in pain as they rolled over bumps on the ground, the soldier continuing to stem the bleeding but to no avail; the blood soaked cloth becoming ever more saturated with the red liquid.

"Hold on, Maho. Stay with me…" Erwin spoke gently, continuing to hold her hand and apply pressure to her wound.

Maho's eyelids flickered as she struggled to keep them open. Her chest rose and fell quickly as she struggled to breathe, blood trickling from her wounds. "How b-bad…?" She gasped, her breath almost inaudible.

Erwin forced a smile. "Nothing the surgeons can't fix." She lied quickly, pressing harder on her wound to stop the bleeding; it made a horrible, squelching sound as the blood trickled out. "You're going to be fine."

Maho sighed, seeing through the flimsy façade Erwin had tried to pull up. A single tear slid down from her eye and down her cheek and she coughed and spat out more blood. "I-I'm… sorry-y…" She mouthed, her eyelids closing slightly.

Erwin shook her head desperately. "No…" she whispered frantically. "No! You're going to survive! Stay with me!"

Maho gasped again, her grip on Erwin's hand become weaker every passing second. "I… d-don't think-"

"Don't say it…" Erwin mouthed, her grip on Maho's hand tightening like a vice. "We still have so much to live for. So many memories to be made!" She hung her head, making sure Maho couldn't see her tears. "Think of your sister!" She whispered. "You don't want to leave your sister alone, do you?"

Maho took a ragged breath, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she gasped and choked for air. "I'm sorry... I-I can't…keep… my p-promise… any…more" She choked, blood spluttering out of the side of her mouth as her eyelids slowly began to droop.

Erwin froze, looking in disbelief. "No… No!" She screamed, looking at her bloodstained hands before punching the truck in utter anguish and grief. She frantically searched for a pulse as the truck screeched to a stop. The sound of screeching tank tracks and the rumbling of voices masked the sound of gunfire and war. Footsteps of soldiers trudging along the muddy paths. They had finally arrived at their reserve positions.

Erwin looked over at Maho, before sighing. "Take her to the field hospital nearby. She may still have a chance of living. Her pulse is very shallow, but still there. We also need a medic, right now." She spoke, her voice wavering heavily.

Two soldiers immediately jumped out of the back, coming back momentarily with a stretcher and two doctors. Loading Maho onto it, they quickly bundled her to the field station. Erwin looked on, tears sliding down her cheeks as Maho's words echoed endlessly in her mind as she mouthed them repeatedly.

'I'm sorry… I can't keep my promise… any…more.'

* * *

 **Notes:**

Finally, after a month, Chapter 13 is done. Thank you for your patience. It took a lot longer than expected, but hey, it's done. :)

As I have said previously, we are very nearly at the end of this Panzer Diary. Thank you for all of those who have read/reviewed my work. I really appreciate it!

Therefore, I hope you have enjoyed this fanfic thoroughly, but don't worry~ Plans for a second Panzer Diary is taking shape as we speak...

 **As always, any reviews with constructive criticism would be welcome.**

 **If you've enjoyed what you've read, and want to know what happens next, or if you're just interested in my writing, don't hesitate to favourite and follow! It also helps me know what I'm writing you find enjoyable.**


	14. Chapter 14: Epilogue

**Chapter 14: Epilogue**

4th September, 1943. 1900 hours.

The sun was setting gently in the twilight sky, its golden rays casting long shadows on the stationary Tigers standing side by side on the Russian steppe. The crews of the Tigers were busy making repairs and resupplying their ammunition. They had been transferred to the Smolensk area, to help support the defence of the Smolensk region as the oncoming Soviet counteroffensives pushed the German forces further and further back. So far, they have been successful at repelling the onslaught, but had taken such heavy damage that the entire battalion had to be pulled back to conduct maintenance.

A few yards away a lay a small village, with several small single floor houses which was being used as a local reserve outpost. Along it lay a road, on which dozens of tanks, transport trucks and other assorted vehicles rumbled past them, headed towards the front. Around the village, several motorised infantry reserves were also placed here; the sound of chatter and bustle was evident.

Erwin was inside the largest house, which had been adapted to be the HQ. Inside the room, there was a large table at the centre, strewn across it maps and charts of all shapes and sizes. On the other side lay another desk; on it lay a typewriter, a wooden box, several sheets of documents, a pen and a Luger with its magazine unloaded. Erwin was sitting down on the chair, a lit cigarette in her hands. She exhaled the wisps of grey smoke, before throwing it on the floor and stubbing it out and sighing. She took out a large handful of dog tags and lay them on the table in front of her; these were the soldiers in her battalion that had been killed in the fighting in the last few weeks.

"I can't go on like this…" She muttered, leaning back and sighing quietly in frustration. "Ever since she's been gone, I've been…different." She whispered, memories flooding back as the words came out of her mouth:

 _'I'm going to die… aren't I?'_

 _'No! You're going to survive! Stay with me!'_

 _'I'm sorry... I-I can't…keep… my p-promise… any…more…'_

"Shut up!" She screamed in anger, standing up and holding her head in her hands as she panted for breath, quickly calming down and becoming settled once more.

'I was right… I am changing…' She thought to herself as she opened the wooden box. Inside, it contained a number of paper packets, which contained an assortment of awards. She quickly found the four that she was looking for: An Iron Cross 2nd Class, Iron Cross 1st class, Wound Badge in Silver and a Panzer Assault Badge for 50 engagements. She quickly put them in her pocket, before loading her pistol and putting it back in her holster. The battalion had just been presented their awards. Everyone was outside, celebrating. But not Erwin; she felt, empty. As if she was missing something inside of her.

"Hauptmann?"

A voice emanating from the doorway caused Erwin to turn round. It was Karla.

"Yes?"

"Erwin?" Karla whispered, taking a step forward. "Is everything alright?"

Erwin uttered a half stifled laugh. "Karla, do things look alright to you?" She turned round, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Does it look like _I'm_ alright?!" She shouted.

Karla, shocked at Erwin's sudden outburst, took a step back. "No, Erwin, you're not alright." She whispered. "What's up?" She asked, slowly walking forwards towards her and gently putting an arm round her.

Erwin sighed, resting her head on Karla's shoulder slowly as she calmed down. "I'm such a bad leader…" She admitted. "Every time I lead the battalion, so many end up dead or wounded." She pointed to the pile of dog tags on the desk. "And now… we've been pushed back so far." Her voice rose again in frustration. "Why is nothing going as planned!" She shouted, breaking free from Karla's hold and pounding the desk with her fist.

"It's not your fault!" Karla protested. "You are a great leader. Think about Soborwka! Your actions made sure that we would survive to fight another! Your planning and strategy saved many lives that day!"

"No! So many were injured or killed, because of me!" Erwin yelled, her composure slowly breaking down once more. "Even Maho. Maho!" She spoke, shaking badly as she desperately tried to stifle her sobs. "I failed to protect her! Why is that all the people I am close to always get injured or killed?! It's not fair!" She shouted through her sobs. "And fight for what?! The goddamn Führer? The fatherland's glory?!" She laughed hysterically as her tears slid from her cheek and onto the floor. "I don't see any glory in this war! All I see is death and destruction! There's nothing glorious about that, is there?! They talk about a greater Germany, a Germany where we rise above all the over nations; Bullshit! How can Germany become greater again when we are losing this fucking war!"

Karla stood silently, absorbing Erwin's words slowly. "You're right, Erwin. We are losing this war." She whispered. "I understand you are frustrated about it all. Especially about Maho." She added, seeing Erwin give her a dark look. "But you can't lose yourself. Not now." She whispered. "We need you, Erwin. You need to continue leading us with the best of your abilities. You might not realise it, nor believe it, but listen to me; we trust you with our lives, Erwin. You are an amazing leader." She whispered, walking closer to her.

Meanwhile, a young woman cautiously opened the door to the house, silently walking towards the sound of Karla's voice. She paused, noticing the door to the room where Karla was situated in was closed. Her hand grasped the door handle, but paused midway; thinking better to listen on the outside instead of bursting in unannounced. Through the material of the wood came Karla's voice. But something was off; her voice was desperate, almost as if pleading to the other inhabitant inside. The woman pressed herself closer to the door, nearly opening it in the process. Cursing under her breath, she soon heard the exact words Karla was saying.

"…You may not believe it, but your decisions on the field prove you to be a commander with great skill and knowledge. Moreover, your men love you. They will not question your orders, no matter what. You, have our undying loyalty. We will follow you to hell and back; that is how loyal we are! We all fight to protect one another, to protect our comrades, and to protect the fatherland. Never forget that Erwin, never." She spoke softly, wrapping her arms slowly around Erwin as she quietly sobbed into Karla's shoulder.

"I-I don't believe that…" Erwin whispered into Karla's shoulder. "How can you say these things when they are not true? I mean," She paused mid-sentence, stifling her sobs slightly before continuing. "Who thinks I am a capable leader?" She mumbled desolately.

"I do." A voice emanated from behind them.

Erwin and Karla turned round. For a moment, they were in absolute awe. They could not believe what they were seeing.

"M-Maho?"

* * *

 _4_ _th_ _September, 1943. 1945 hours_

In front of the doorway, Maho was standing there; her back straight and posture immaculate. Her black uniform spotless. She was a little thinner than before, but nevertheless looking a lot healthier than before the incident. Her eyes lit up in elation when she saw Erwin. "Yes, Erwin." She whispered, walking over slowly. "I'm back."

Erwin, stunned for a moment, did not react to her words. Without needing to think, she broke into a smile and ran towards Maho, throwing her arms around Maho's neck and nearly knocking her over.

Maho staggered back a few paces thanks to Erwin literally throwing herself onto her body, before laughing and wrapping her arms round Erwin's body. "Did you miss me?" She whispered, grinning as her sidecap slipped off her head and fell onto the floor. Erwin nodded frantically, words not able to comprehend her delight.

Karla smiled. "Have you forgotten about someone?" She asked cheekily. Maho smirked.

"Of course not." She spoke, letting go of Erwin and quickly hugged Karla. She grinned, relishing the welcoming hug that she needed so much. "We needed you back." Karla whispered quietly. "Morale has been lower than usual without you. But now," She released her hold of Maho and headed for the door. "I need to tell everyone you're back." She smiled happily before walking out and closing the door gently.

Upon hearing the door close, Erwin sneaked up to Maho and pushed her playfully against the wall, pinning her. "Caught you!" She spoke playfully.

Maho grinned and wriggled in her grasp, but suddenly gasped in pain. Erwin, surprised, swiftly let go of her. "Are you okay?" She whispered.

"Yeah." Maho replied quickly, grabbing Erwin into a hug. "Only hurts if I move awkwardly." She whispered, her hand gently touching Erwin's cheek as she caressed it. "You seem tired…"

Erwin smiled, moving one step closer towards her. "So?" She replied slowly, resting her head on Maho's shoulder. "I've missed you so much…" She mouthed, her arms tightening around the latter's waist.

Maho paused, flashing a smile. "I know you have." She breathed, her free hand gently weaving through Erwin's blonde hair. "To be honest…" She began, her lips meeting Erwin's cheek tentatively. "I've missed you loads as well…" Maho mumbled through her lips, as she felt Erwin's hold tighten suddenly.

Erwin nodded slowly, relishing every second that passed. She looked at Maho, before slowly letting their lips meet gently. A sense of utter tranquillity washed over her like the breeze as she closed her eyes and pulled Maho closer. It was bliss; in her mind, her worries and insecurities fell away instantly, as if the storm that had been raging in her mind for an eternity dissipated, knowing that the woman she cherished so much was with her. That she was safe.

Seconds later, it was over as quickly as it had begun. The creaking of the door opening caused the pair to break away from one another, as four figures walked into the room. Maho turned round.

Erika, Christian, Felix and Ernst was standing there. Erika, however, seemed to be holding something behind her back. Maho smiled and quickly walked towards them, shaking hands with each one before being subjecting to a torrent of questions.

 _"How was the journey back?"_

 _"How bad was your injury?"_

 _"What's it like back in Germany?"_

 _"How many bullets did you catch?"_

Maho grinned, shaking her head slowly as she saw Erwin walk over with several paper packets in her hand. "I'll answer them later, okay? But," She began, noticing the iron crosses on each crewmember. "I see you all have been decorated. Well done, you've really earned it." She spoke gently, smiling at each one of them.

"You know; you've received decorations as well. For your hard work and dedication, even if you were injured." Erika remarked casually.

"Even now, you are really modest, aren't you?" Felix stated, smirking.

Maho sighed, smiling. "You know me too well. I guess it is a part of me that I may never be rid of." She admitted before turning round to face Erwin.

She nodded, and Maho stood at attention. Erwin slowly took out the Wound Badge in Silver, before pinning it onto the left side of her uniform. It was silver in colour, featuring a German stalhelm helmet with a swastika on it. Behind the helmet were two crossed swords, and a wreath of laurels surrounding the badge with a ribbon at the base.

Afterwards, Erwin pinned the Iron Cross 2nd class onto her uniform, just on the 2nd button of her uniform, as well as the Iron Cross 1st class on the same area as where her Wound Badge was pinned. Finally, she took out the final award, the Panzer Badge for 50 engagements, and pinned it onto her uniform also, before stepping back. "Congratulations, Leutnant Ketler." Erwin stated, shaking Maho's hand warmly. "These awards are for your continued outstanding leadership, and your bravery in the defence of Soborwka."

Maho smiled, looking up at Erwin. "Thank you, Hauptmann." She spoke quietly, saluting her superior. Looking down at her new awards, gently held the Iron Cross 2nd Class which dangled from its ribbon.

"Congratulations Maho!" Karla and Erika spoke as they went and shook her hand jubilantly. Felix and Christian did the same.

Maho smiled softly. "Thanks!" She replied, just as Erika walked over with her hands behind her back, obviously hiding something. Maho, instantly intrigued, tilted her head in bewilderment. "What have you got there, Erika?"

She quickly revealed a pistol from behind her back. "High command has finally sent us some new pistols. Well, not exactly new. But it has been made standard issue for some time, but we haven't received ours due to logistical issues until now." She stated. "The Walther P38 pistol. We've already received ours, but since you were away… you naturally wouldn't have received it." She walked over and handed it to Maho. "Take it as a welcome back present from us." She smiled, as Maho took it and inspected the pistol.

The handle felt a little strange at first, but moments later it felt like the handle had just slotted right in place with her hand. "This fits perfectly to my hand." She exclaimed, holding it out and inspecting it once more in the light. It was well polished and maintained, with a dull matte black finish on the entire structure of the pistol. She then noticed a small detail; the words 'Maho Ketler' was intricately engraved on the gun slide. "I must give you my thanks." She spoke gently, smiling as she aimed it at the wall before putting it into her holster.

"We know you are, Maho." Erwin replied with a grin etched on her face.

"Still, it's great to have you back, Leutnant." Erika spoke, a smile growing on her face. She then turned to the rest of the other crewmembers. "Let's get back to our Tiger. We still need to make a few repairs to it." With that, Erika and the rest of the crewmembers left the room, leaving Maho and Erwin inside.

Upon hearing the door close, Maho turned to Erwin. "We've been supplied with new Tigers?" She questioned.

Erwin nodded. "Yeah. Almost fresh out of the factories. But the transport and delivery from Germany to here has worn it out slightly. So we are just conducting repairs on some of the worn parts." She stated. "At this rate, we should be ready to go back into combat in the next few days."

Maho smiled. "That's good. I'm actually looking forward going back to the front…" She whispered, her voice trailing off as she saw Erwin frown. "What?"

Erwin sighed. "It doesn't matter." She mouthed, before turning away and walking off to the opposite side of the room.

"Tell me."

The blunt, yet gentle voice of Maho made Erwin to turn round slowly. She walked over to Maho and looked right into her eyes. "I just don't want you to get hurt again…" She breathed, tears welling up slowly in her eyes. "I… don't think I can go through another episode like that again, so soon."

Maho smiled, reaching out and pulling Erwin into a hug. "You worry too much." She replied, letting Erwin's head rest on her shoulder. "I'm going to be alright. I'll be careful."

Erwin glanced up and gave her a watery grin. "Promise?" Maho smiled back gently before responding.

"I promise."

However, she couldn't help but feel an underlying nervousness crawl around inside her. Was it the fact she was back on the front line again, where she may die suddenly any day? Or was it knowing that the situation on the Eastern Front was worsening by the second? The fact that they may be fighting for the existence of the fatherland much earlier than anticipated? Before she could react to those thoughts, a voice quietly sounded in her head.

'Don't worry about the future, Maho. Everything is going to be fine. You have all your comrades. Erika, Karla, Erwin, your crewmembers. You are all bound by sweat, blood and fire. You are all bound by the experiences of war you all share with one another. They will all keep you safe, until the last day of this war.'

At this, Maho smiled. A sudden thought rushed through her. How could she have forgotten? Today was Miho's 16th birthday. Smiling, Maho remembered how excited Miho would have been when it was her birthday. On the morning of her birthday, Miho would run into her bedroom and shake her until Maho would awaken. A slight twinge of regret passed her as she knew that for the last few years, she had not been able to celebrate her younger sisters' birthday, because she was at the front.

"But at least I have a chance of returning home, and celebrating her birthdays again, because of all those who are with me right now." She whispered silently.

'Maybe it won't be as bad as I thought it will be after all. Yes, we have a long, hard struggle ahead of us. Yes, we will face days of torment, suffering and pain, but we will get all over it.'

'Because we have each other to rely on.'

* * *

5 _th_ _September, 1943. 1800 hours_

 _Munich, Germany._

Clouds gathered overhead, obscuring the autumn sun as a girl slowly drew the curtains shut in a room, dimming the interior. She glanced over the bedroom, checking everything was in order. Flashing a smile, she walked out of the room and closed the door.

Heading out onto the landing, she walked into her own room and closed the door, leaving a small gap between the doorframe. Sitting down on the bed, she reached out onto her desk and grabbed a photograph. Blowing the dust off it, two figures came into view.

Two siblings were in the photo. One, with her black panzerwaffe uniform all neat and tidy, smiled in the camera as the younger one hugged the elder sister. Both looked very similar, apart from the fact the elder sibling had darker and longer hair. At the bottom left corner lay the scribble 'October 1939.' The girl smiled, fighting back tears before putting it on the bed as she opened the wardrobe door and taking out her black panzerwaffe uniform and slowly getting changed.

As she got dressed, a mixture of emotions and feelings floated in and out of her. The excitement of going to war, but darker, much sinister emotions tingled in her mind. What if she died? Or even worse; what if she got injured and became physically disabled for the rest of her life? She sighed and shook her head. "Now is not the time." She whispered to herself.

Moving in front of the mirror, she took her time adjusting her uniform, so that she looked immaculate. From her looks alone, she did not look young. Many would hazard a guess at around 18 or 19 years of age. However, she held a dark secret. She had lied about her age; yet the recruiter did not pick up on it. She paused, hearing her mother's voice call her from downstairs.

"Are you ready? We need to leave now if you don't want to be late." Her mother spoke from the bottom staircase. However, her voice was different than usual; an underlying waver of sadness perpetrated her words.

"Yes, mother." Miho replied, putting her sidecap on and walking out of her room. Suddenly, she froze. She had forgotten something vital. Hurrying back inside, she picked up the photo containing Maho and herself, and tucked it into her pocket. Finally, it was time for her to play her part in the war.

A new chapter of her life would soon begin.

* * *

 **Notes:**

Here you go. The last chapter for this first Panzer Diary. Thus ends the first Panzer Diary. I hope all of you have enjoyed this fic very much; if so, stay put! A new Panzer Diary is being planned!

A very loud thank you for all of those who have given reviews, corrected me on incorrect terminology etc. Feedback like that really helps mould my writing into what it is now!

And of course, I have to say a massive thank you for all those who have read it, and favourited/followed. This fanfic wouldn't be here right now without any contribution from you guys!

So, again, thank you very much for reading this fanfic. It has been a pleasure to write it for you guys to enjoy. But for now, I will take a break from any active writing to plan the second Panzer Diaries...

Have a great day!

Poiii~~~


	15. Glossary of Terms

**Glossary of terms:**

 **Anti-tank guns:** Cannons or guns designed to destroy enemy armoured vehicles. In order to penetrate vehicle armour they fire anti-tank ammunition.

 **Bohnenkaffee:** Ground coffee. Was Part of a standard German WW2 ration issued to a soldier. But was replaced around 1943 by artificial coffee, known as **muckefuck.**

 **Cуки:** "Bitch/Bitches" in Russian.

 **Feldwebel:** German equivalent for the rank of Technical Sergeant.

 **Gefreiter:** German equivalent for the rank of Lance Corporal.

 **Hahnchenfleisch:** Canned Chicken. Part of a standard German WW2 ration issued to a soldier.

 **Hartkeks:** Hard biscuit/crackers. Part of a standard German WW2 ration issued to a soldier.

 **Hartzweiback _(_** ** _Zwieback)_ : **A hard biscuit more like bread than crackers. Part of a standard German WW2 ration issued to a soldier.

 **Hauptmann:** German Equivalent for the rank of Captain.

 **Heer _(Landser)_ : **German Infantry.

 **Hl. Gr. 39:** Standard HEAT (High Explosive Anti Tank) round for the Tiger's 88mm cannon.

 **Jawohl:** In a military context, "yes sir/ma'am".

 **Kandiezucter:** Rock Candy that was issued as a sugar ration. Part of a standard German WW2 ration issued to a soldier.

 **Katyusha:** Rocket artillery first built and fielded by the Soviet Union in World War II. The weapon is less accurate than conventional artillery guns, but is extremely effective in concentrated bombardment, and was particularly feared by German soldiers; the howling sound of a Katyusha rocket terrified them.

 **Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross:** The Knight's Cross was one of the highest awards given to a soldier for extreme bravery or leadership on the battlefield. It had different classes, the highest was with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds.

 **Leutnant:** German equivalent for the rank of Lieutenant.

 **Luftwaffe:** German Air Force.

 **Luger P08:** The Pistole Parabellum 1908 is a semi-automatic pistol, which was used by Soldiers in the Wehrmacht during WW1 and WW2.

 **M1940 Stalhelm:** German for "steel helmet". The Stalhelm is easily recognisable with its distinctive "coal scuttle" shape.

 **Major:** German equivalent for the rank of Major.

 **MG 34:** Maschinengewehr 34. A machine gun used in the Wehrmacht. At the time of its introduction, it was the most advanced machine gun in the world.

 **MP40:** The MP 40 was a submachine gun developed in Nazi Germany and used extensively in WW2.

 **Oberfeld _("_** ** _Spieß")_ : **Informal way of saying Oberfeldwebel.

 **Oberfeldwebel:** German equivalent for the rank of Master Sergeant.

 **Oberstleutnant:** German equivalent for the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

 **Olkhvotka:** One of the villages that were captured by the Wehrmacht.

 **Operation Barbarossa:** German invasion for the Soviet Union.

 **Pakfront:** A defensive military tactic in which a group of up to 10 anti-tank guns were placed in a group under the command of one officer. He was responsible in designating targets for the anti-tank guns to engage. This tactic was particularly good in launching ambushes. Initially a German tactic, it was copied by the Soviet Union later on in the war.

 **Panzerjacke:** A solid black, waist length jacket that was worn as part of the Panzerwaffe uniform.

 **Panzertruppenschule II:** Panzertruppenschule II (Armoured Troops School No.2) was the second of two major schools set up by the German Panzerwaffe in World War II to train German armour officers to operate Panzers. It was based in Wünsdorf, Germany.

 **PzGr. 39:** Standard Armour piercing round for the Tiger's 88mm cannon.

 **Rinderbraten:** Canned Beef. Part of a standard German WW2 ration issued to a soldier.

 **StG 44:** A Sturmgewehr 44 (assault rifle 44). The world's first assault rifle.

 **Totenkophf:** An insignia that depicts skull and crossbones. Also known as a 'Death's head'. Panzerwaffe units used this insignia, as well as the SS.

 **Unterfeldwebel:** German equivalent for the rank of Staff Sergeant.

 **Unteroffizier:** German equivalent for the rank of Sergeant.

 **Wound Badge:** A military decoration which was awarded to the wounded or frostbitten soldiers of the Wehrmacht. It had 3 classes: Black, Silver and Gold.

 **Для Советской России: "** For mother Russia" in Russian. The commander would shout this, and his men would reply with "Ura!"

 **Фашистского зверя: "** Fascist Beast" in Russian.

* * *

Notes:

I promised you guys a glossary; here it is :)

They should all be correct (hopefully). If not, **please let me know as soon as possible!**

 _ **I will add more technical terms later on into my story, therefore I will update this glossary whenever new technical terms are added.**_


End file.
